It's been over a month since the Carolina Hurricanes acquired Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche in a blockbuster three-team deal involving the Chicago Blackhawks. Nevertheless, it's rumored the 28-year-old right winger could be peddled before the March 7 NHL trade deadline.

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.

It seems Carolina’s only focus right now is keeping Rantanen, whether as an extended player or worst case as a rental.