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If Norris Trophy-nominated defenceman Kris Letang cant 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 1050s 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 Paul Martin 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. "Ive been told that if the Penguins couldnt reach some sort of understanding with Letang, and the belief was they wouldnt 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 havent discussed the Toronto Maple Leafs, period," Letangs agent Kent Hughes told TSN on Thursday morning. "Our focus has been on trying to conclude a deal with Pittsburgh." Rossi also made it clear that Pittsburgh remains keenly interested in signing Letang to an extension. "General manager Ray Shero has been very public since the lockout ended that he wants to retain Letang, but the Penguins have committed a lot of money to Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and they have also committed no-movement clauses to both of those players," he explained. "Theyre very deep in their system on defence." Letang had five goals and 33 assists in 35 games for the Penguins this season. Rossi noted that Pittsburghs price to deal the 26-year-old Montreal native would be quite high. "If the Penguins are going to move Letang they would want to deal with a team that could provide at least one roster player in addition to a first-round pick and a top prospect...if not two roster players in addition to a first-round pick," explained Rossi. "But I dont think were quite there yet and I dont know that they Penguins and Leafs have had any discussions." The Penguins traded Jordan Staal to the Carolina Hurricanes at the NHL Draft a year ago when Staal declined to sign a long-term extension with Pittsburgh. Custom Harold Baines Jersey . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. Bill Melton Jersey Large .5 seconds to play in the game, Kevin Love never stopped believing that they would come out of there with a win. http://www.customwhitesoxjersey.com/custom-michael-jordan-jersey-large-461p.html .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. Ozzie Guillen Jersey Large . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Joe Crede Jersey Large . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. CARMEL, Ind. -- The journey started in Rio de Janeiro, where Rickie Fowler played for the United States in the mens Olympic golf tournament. From there, he went to Greensboro, New York, Boston and Indianapolis in search of FedEx points and brownie points.He didnt earn enough of the former to secure a place in Atlanta in two weeks for the PGA Tours season-ending, 30-man field at the Tour Championship.Whether he got enough of the latter will be determined Monday -- or perhaps not until Sept. 25 -- when captain Davis Love III makes his at-large selections for the U.S. Ryder Cup team.Playing in his fifth straight week, Fowler admitted he was running out of energy. The result was a lackluster performance at the BMW Championship, in which he tied for 59th and was forced to watch the wildly fluctuating projections that had him in and out of the top 30 all afternoon.As it turned out, when J.B. Holmes parred the final hole to shoot 2-over-par 74 -- making a testy 3-footer -- he secured the 28th position. Fowler was bumped to 31st, just behind Charl Schwartzel,?who shot a final-round 64 to move into a tie for fourth and jump up from 43rd in FedEx Cup points.Theres nothing I can do, Fowler said after finishing with an even-par 72; he was long gone when those on the golf course determined his fate. Im not going to go heckle the ones that I need to miss or anything like that. I want to see guys play well, and theyre all my buddies. You never root against anyone.And like I said, all I can do is go play golf today and Im done. So whatever happens, happens.Fowler can point to a nine-tournament stretch that began at the Players Championship that led to his inability to qualify for the Tour Championship.Starting at the PGA Tours flagship tournament, Fowler missed three straight cuts and had just one finish inside the top 10. While competing at the mens Olympic golf tournament, in which he finished tied for 37th, Fowler decided to add the Wyndham Championship to his schedule in an effort to make the U.S. Ryder Cup team on points.The following weeks Barclays was the last qualifying event, and Fowler was in good shape to make the team, only to falter on the lasst day and tie for seventh after holding the 54-hole lead.dddddddddddd That tournament ultimately cost him his spot at East Lake; had he finished one place higher, he would have easily advanced.Now he may or may not have put his place on the U.S. Ryder Cup team in jeopardy.There are arguments for and against Fowler, to be sure. He is ranked ninth in the world and has played in two Ryder Cups with a 0-3-5 record; but he did little over the past six months in which he could have easily wrapped up a spot.Ive done basically everything I can do as far as schedule and playing, and obviously it would have been nice to play better to make the pick a lot easier on him, but whether he has his mind made up or is still thinking, thats up to him, Fowler said. Im just looking forward to having an off week at home this coming week.Hell have the week of the Tour Championship off as well, but Fowler can take solace in knowing that others being considered for a pick didnt exactly distinguish themselves, either.Holmes tied for fourth, but it came after a five-tournament stretch in which he missed three cuts; Bubba Watson tied for 20th and has just two worldwide top-10s going back to March; Ryan Moore won the John Deere Classic last month, then had two top-10s in the playoffs, only to tie for 64th at Crooked Stick this week.There are arguments for and against just about every player who is in the running for one of the four picks.As for the Tour Championship, it will play on without Open champion Henrik Stenson, who was bumped out of the top 30 because he took this week off to rest his ailing knee. Sergio Garcia didnt make it to East Lake, either, leaving Rory McIlroy as the only European Ryder Cup team member to play in Atlanta.BMW championship winner Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth, Jimmy Walker, Brandt Snedeker and Phil Mickelson are the U.S. team members who will be in Atlanta, as will several of the potential at-large picks in the field, including Justin Thomas, Moore, Matt Kuchar, Watson, Daniel Berger and Holmes. ' ' '