"We'll try to trade him," owner Tom Dundon told The News and Observer on Monday. "I think we'll do OK. We'll see."
Fox (5-foot-10, 185 pounds) had 48 points (nine goals, 39 assists) in 33 games as a junior at Harvard University and is one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top NCAA men's hockey player.
In three collegiate seasons, he has 116 points (21 goals, 95 assists) in 97 games. He also helped the United States win the gold medal at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship and a bronze medal at the 2018 WJC.
If Fox returns for his senior season, he could become an unrestricted free agent in August 2020.
Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell had said he was positive he could convince the 21-year-old right-shot defenseman to sign after Harvard's season ended with a loss to Massachusetts in the first round of the NCAA Division I men's hockey tournament March 29.
Fox, who was selected in the third round (No. 66) of the 2016 NHL Draft, was acquired by the Hurricanes on June 23, along with defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forward Micheal Ferland, in a trade with the Calgary Flames for forward Elias Lindholm and defenseman Noah Hanifin.
The Hurricanes, who hold the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference, play the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN4, FS-CR, NHL.TV).
