The NHL's Feb. 29 Trade Deadline is approaching and teams are making decisions on whether to buy or sell and decide which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. Check out today's trade rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.

Help Up Front

Having already acquired top-line centre Ryan Johansen from the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Nashville Predators seem interested in bulking up their offence.

ESPN Senior Writer Pierre LeBrun spoke to Preds general manager David Poile on Tuesday. Poile says the team needs to improve if they're going to have any chance at qualifying for the playoffs.

"I hope it happens from within our club, but we’re totally open [to more trades]," said Poile. "Because we haven’t played as well as we had hoped to play at this point in the season."

Nashville is averaging 2.5 goals per game and would be interested in adding some offence, according to Poile.

"We have to get more production, more consistency, so that would be the first place I would look," said the GM. "But I’m just open to ideas and anything that might come along. You know how hard it is to make a trade but for whatever reason it seems to open up more at the trade deadline."

Looking For A Match?

Patrick Marleau's early season trade speculation (Marleau said he would welcome a trade to an approved team) has died down a bit, but that doesn't mean the San Jose Sharks aren't still looking to move the veteran forward. 

LeBrun says general manager Doug Wilson gave Pat Brisson, Marleau's agent, permission to look for possible suitors on the trade market earlier this season.

A trade may have to wait until the offseason if a deal that makes sense for San Jose is not agreed upon before the Trade Deadline, according to LeBrun.

Marleau, 36, is an unrestricted free-agent at the end of next season and will make $6.5 million this year and next. 

The native of Swift Current, SK has spent his entire 18-year career in San Jose. Marleau has 14 goals and 16 assists over 44 games for the Sharks who sit in second place in the Pacific Division.