Bruce Fedyck
Dallas Stars right wing Valeri Nichushkin (43) celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports
Nobody ever tells me if a player is "on the block" or not, so my take on rumors is that they are educated guesses.
I talk to people and read the actual words they say, the tone in which they are spoken, the body language of the person saying these words. It's a complicated game, but one in which you hope your guesses have some basis in your ability to process information.