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

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.

Rantanen’s world has been upended. He joined the Hurricanes during a road trip. Carolina has played seven games since the trade, but Rantanen missed one with a minor injury. He does have an apartment now in Raleigh but hasn’t spent much time there.