Ladd expected to have settled contract talks with Jets by now

Andrew Ladd didn't think his future would be up in the air at this point, but it is.

With multiple reports suggesting the Winnipeg Jets are focused on re-signing their other pending big-ticket unrestricted free agent in Dustin Byfuglien, Ladd's future is only getting murkier as the Feb. 29 trade deadline approaches.

Having a down season, the Jets captain talked about his contract status Monday after practice. While he doesn't know if he'll be a Jet next season, he didn't expect the question to still be lingering in the new year.

"If you ask both sides, we would have both said we'd have something done by now," Ladd said, according to Sun Media's Paul Friesen.

Ladd on if his status is affecting team: "No. I'm pretty sure I'll be here tomorrow. It doesn't affect anything we're trying to do in here."

- Paul Friesen (@friesensunmedia) January 25, 2016

Ladd was honest when asked about what his immediate future holds, and whether he's thought about wearing a different jersey this season.

"It's hard for me to see that," Ladd said, writes Sportsnet's Rory Boylen. "But I've also been around long enough to realize that anything can happen and things change quickly. You never know."

The 11-year vet has 10 goals and 17 assists in 48 games in 2015-16. He had a career-high 62 points last season, which was his fourth with Winnipeg. He's in the final campaign of a contract that pays him $4.5 million and carries a $4.4-million salary cap hit.

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