By: Andy Slater

The Florida Panthers are staying in Sunrise and now they want to make sure their rising-star center does as well.

Aleksander Barkov and the Panthers are currently working on a long-term extension that would keep him with the team through the 2021-2022 season, possibly until 2024, I've learned from sources close to the situation.

NHL teams can sign a current player to a maximum eight-year contract, a move the Panthers are willing to make with Barkov.

Locking up a young star wouldn't be anything new for the Panthers. The team gave 23-year-old Nick Bjustad a six-year contract extension in Dec. 2014.

Barkov was the second overall pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. The 20-year-old has 78 points in 150 career NHL games and is set to be a restricted free agent in 2016.

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(Photo: NHL.com)