NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed today that the Carolina Hurricanes made a huge extension offer to Mikko Rantanen, but are yet to receive an answer.

Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman reports that the Carolina Hurricanes have made Mikko Rantanen a big contract over the Four Nations break. He didn’t say yes, but he didn’t say no. He needs more time to process everything.

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.