IF THERE’S NO DEAL WITH PENS, LETANG PREFERS LEAFS
If Norris Trophy-nominated defenceman can’t come to a long-term deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins, his preferred landing spot would be with the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Speaking to Jim Tatti and Mike Hogan on TSN Radio 1050’s Game Night on Wednesday, Rossi explained why such a scenario could take shape.
“Kris is a little bit curious about where he stands long range in the Penguins’ plans,” he told TSN Radio. “He has read reports of mine that there are people within the Pittsburgh organization that thought was the better defenceman last year, and there has been a sort of a hesitation on a willingness to commit to him (Letang) to a long-term deal at elite defenceman money.
“I’ve been told that if the Penguins couldn’t reach some sort of understanding with Letang, and the belief was they wouldn’t be able to sign him to some sort of deal, that Toronto has emerged as a preferred landing spot – perhaps by Letang. It would be a place that he would be willing, if dealt, to perhaps sign a long-term deal.”
Where possible trades are concerned, Letang himself has no final say on who his next team would be. “We haven’t discussed the Toronto Maple Leafs, period,” Letang’s agent Kent Hughes told TSN on Thursday morning. “Our focus has been on trying to conclude a deal with Pittsburgh.”
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=426413