There has been a trade freeze in the NHL since Feb. 12, and it will continue for another week.

But while teams can't execute deals, nothing prevents general managers from discussing them. And with the trade deadline set for March 3, just a few days after the freeze expires, a lot of them seem to be doing just that.

The list includes Ray Shero of the Penguins, who is believed to be seeking a goal-scoring winger to play alongside Evgeni Malkin and a defenseman with a physical edge.

The pool of conventional "rental" wingers -- basically, veterans who will become unrestricted free agents after this season -- from which to choose is pretty limited, though, because all but a handful of teams remain in contention for a playoff berth.

In the East, only Carolina and Toronto are more than six points behind Montreal, which holds down eighth place in the conference. Things are even tighter in the West, where Columbus and Edmonton are the only clubs more than five points behind eighth-place Calgary.

The teams doomed to sit out the playoffs are sure to be sellers, and others such as Florida, the New York Islanders, St. Louis and Minnesota could decide to unload assets for the sake of future seasons, as well. And of course, the possibility of a trade between two playoff-caliber teams never can be ruled out.

For now, however, the four rental wingers known to be on the market who appear to best fit the Penguins' needs are listed below. With their current 22-man roster, the Penguins have about $1 million in salary-cap space, but cap hits are pro-rated and only about a quarter of the season remains.

Alexei Ponikarovsky

• Position: Left wing.
• Team: Toronto.
• Stats: 19 goals, 22 assists in 61 games.
• Salary-cap hit: $2,105,000.
• Upside: At 29, might have most upside of anyone on this list. A responsible two-way player who could elevate his game in a new setting.
• Downside: Despite decent production, won't be confused with a pure goal-scorer.

Raffi Torres

• Position: Left wing.
• Team: Columbus.
• Stats: 19 goals, 11 assists in 59 games.
• Salary-cap hit: $2.25 million.
• Upside: Plays an effective blue-collar game, working hard along the boards and corners and going to the net like he means it.
• Downside: A mediocre skater who can have lapses in his own end.

Lee Stempniak

• Position: Right wing.
• Team: Toronto.
• Stats: 14 goals, 15 assists in 61 games.
• Salary-cap hit: $2.5 million.
• Upside: Versatile enough to play either side, with a decent scoring touch.
• Downside: Can't be counted on to win many one-on-one battles to get pucks for his center.

Ray Whitney

• Position: Left wing.
• Team: Carolina.
• Stats: 19 goals, 29 assists in 59 games.
• Salary-cap hit: $3.55 million.
• Upside: A gifted goal-scorer who might be the best fit for the Penguins' needs, and could use no-trade clause to effectively select team that acquires him.
• Downside: The current asking price, believed to be a first-round draft choice and a good prospect, is higher than the Penguins likely will want to pay.

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