They say the NHL trade deadline in Canada is a national holiday, and it’s not far from the truth.

The national sports networks have wall-to-wall live coverage, and hockey-rabid fans soak in every moment.

Fans also love the month leading up to the trade deadline. They dive headfirst into blogs and Twitter feeds and eat up all the rumors involving their favorite teams. Everybody tries to identify the buyers and sellers, tries to figure out which players, usually those with expiring contracts at season’s end, can be had as “rentals.”

But here’s a word to the wise as the March 5 deadline approaches: Be cautious what you believe because it’s silly season on the Internet this time of year.

-Michael Russo of the Star Tribune. Russo looks at the rumor that made the rounds last week of Ryan Miller being traded to the Wild, plus more topics.