Brendan Shanahan remains in play. Blues fans will remain anxious as long as he sits in limbo.

The intrepid gang at HockeyBuzz.com tells us that Pittsburgh could emerge as a strong geographical and competitive option. The Ottawa Sun reminds us that Colorado and Carolina would have the cap room to make it happen.

Hockey Guy would love to see Shan the Man return to the Blues, but Brendan is keeping his options open. The demise of T. J. Oshie creates an immediate need up front for this team.

With Mats Sundin still mulling his options – but looking more likely to play this season – this scenario remains fluid.

The Ducks and Canucks made big plays on Sundin while he was training (vacationing? sightseeing?) in Southern California next week.

NHL rumormongers will be sour if Mats ever makes up his mind. He has been fueling speculative items for a couple of months now.

AROUND THE RINKS: Would the Kings really trade Dustin Brown? And if that club did, could a three-way deal involving the Predators and Islanders develop? The ever-vigilant Eklund at HockeyBuzz tells us so . . . The Ottawa Sun reports that current or future cap concerns could land Ducks winger Chris Kunitz and Sabres winger Ales Kotalik on the trade mart . . . The next goaltender injury could allow Edmonton to move Dwayne Roloson and his $3 million salary . . . Former NHLPA czar Bob Goodenow remains oddly supportive of former agent David Frost, currently on trial on sexual exploitation charges. Goodenow refused to cooperate with the criminal investigation of Frost’s alleged abuse of junior hockey players and teenage girls . . . Daniel Alfredsson’s four-year contract was back-loaded, the Boston Globe notes. The paper reported that he will get $9.1 million next year, including a $2.1 million signing bonus, then $7 million, $4.5 million, and $1 million during the following seasons . . . Nice of the Islanders to admit that goaltender Rick DiPietro will miss the next four to six weeks after undergoing knee surgery. The team had done everything short of putting him in a witness protection program to guard this secret . . . The Sun reports that the Penguins are offering defenseman Darryl Sydor around, but good luck with that. If Sydor can’t help a team that lost two key offensive defenseman, why would another team want him?