After participating in the 4 Nations, Rantanen is facing questions about his future and adjusting to his new surroundings.

Darren Dreger’s recent X post, dropped a bombshell: the Hurricanes are eager to extend Rantanen, but his uncertainty could push Carolina to consider trading him again. This is a pivotal moment for both teams—and for Rantanen’s legacy.

With the March 7 trade deadline less than two weeks away, Carolina has to decide whether to keep Rantanen for a Stanley Cup run risking losing him next summer if he doesn't extend his contract, or flip him for assets now to avoid that potential worst-case scenario as it happened to the franchise last summer.