The Aleksander Barkov contract extension now taking care of, the next priority for the Florida Panthers will be to add a piece or two, if possible, ahead of the Feb. 29 trade deadline.

But the Atlantic Division-leading Panthers are also going to make sure it doesn’t derail their big-picture thinking, either.

"It depends what it’s going to cost us, we’re going to look at everything, like we always do," Panthers general manager Dale Tallon said by phone Monday.

"We’ll make a decision based on what the cost is and if it affects our future or not. Those are the two most important things. We want to make sure we don’t give up too much for a player we might not sign. It has to be the right fit. But we’ll look into it, we’ll see what makes sense."

The Panthers signed Aleksander Barkov to a six-year deal worth an average of $5.9 million per season. AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee

I wouldn’t read into that that rental players are off the list. A year ago, Tallon traded for pending unrestricted free agent Jaromir Jagr and then re-signed him. And that was for a team that missed the playoffs.

I think pending UFAs are absolutely possible again this time around but, as Tallon said, for the right price.

While Tallon would not venture into names, I will do so for him. I believe there’s no question Andrew Ladd is a guy on his target list if and when the Winnipeg Jets make him available -- which is no sure thing yet -- and if the price isn’t exorbitant.

Ladd would be a tremendous fit in Florida: A guy you can plug in anywhere in the top nine, a gritty leader who would bring character and a Cup ring to the mix.

Tallon has already traded for Ladd once in his career, getting the 6-foot-3 winger from the Carolina Hurricanes in February 2008 in exchange for Tuomo Ruutu. So there’s a shared history there in Chicago.

But again, some key questions still to be determined.

Are the Jets actually going to end up trading their captain? No question that the Jets will first try to take another stab at signing him before that. I expect both sides to talk again within the next two weeks. Both sides already are ready to do six years, but can they find the right salary range?

And even if the Jets do put him on the trade market, there will be a long list of teams in the mix competing with Florida.

But man, what a fit for the Panthers in my mind. Just perfect.

Florida wouldn't be the only team interested in Andrew Ladd if the Jets put him on the market. Brad Rempel/USA TODAY Sports

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