"Jay Bouwmeester maintains what his coach, general manager and teammates all claim about his unresolved contract situation: It won't be a distraction.

As much as they may repeat that, though, it'll hover over the Panthers until at least Jan. 1, when the team is allowed to re-sign him.

The only numbers that'll persuade the All-Star defenseman to commit long term won't be on a contract. They'll be in the team's win-loss record. Bouwmeester said so over the weekend, stressing that his refusal to accept offers from the Panthers doesn't have to do with money. It's because he's unsure about the team's direction.

"If I wasn't, I would have signed something and that would be the end of the discussion, right?" Bouwmeester said of not signing this summer. "With more changes this past summer and not knowing what's going on ... I've been through a lot before and I wasn't prepared to [sign]."

Bouwmeester, who signed for one year at $4.875 million in July to avoid arbitration, said he's "not closing any doors" concerning signing long term — the Panthers have made several offers between $6 million and $7 million a season for between one and six years — but he wants to see how the team performs.

"I've been here five years and haven't played in a playoff game — it's not fun for anybody," Bouwmeester said. "I'm partly to blame for that, too. But when you go through all the changes and you're starting from scratch all the time, it's tough."

Sound familiar?

Roberto Luongo said the same throughout the 2005-06 season, negotiations turned ugly and he was traded. The organization contends this case is different, noting that money also was a factor with Luongo.

"You understand he wants to see progress and he wants to see this team go in the right direction, and rightfully so," said Keith Ballard, one of three defensemen General Manager Jacques Martin acquired this summer to fortify the defense, in part to appease Bouwmeester. "If we win games, it makes it an easy decision."

And if they don't?

Bouwmeester wouldn't say he'd definitely leave, but it'd be a "tough call." Just what is good enough by Jan. 1, though?"