The Penguins are still absorbing the news that Kris Letang will be out of the lineup indefinitely after suffering a stroke on Monday, the second stroke the veteran defenseman has had. The first was in 2014 and he missed two months of the season after surgery to repair a small hole in his heart that had been there since birth. The team announced the latest medical setback yesterday and said the 35-year-old is still undergoing tests, but the stroke was deemed not as serious as his previous one and he was said to be in great spirits and looking forward to getting back on skates, even wanting to lace them up yesterday.
A shaken General Manager Ron Hextall said the hockey ramifications come after consideration of Letang’s health.
Hextall struggled to find the words to describe Letang’s influence on the team.
The GM said the team will rally around their defensive leader.
Coach Mike Sullivan said the team’s ability to play without Letang is secondary to his health, but he believes they can continue to play at a high level.
Sullivan said he could see the concern in the players’ eyes when he told them about the stroke after Tuesday’s game, but he knows the character of his team.
The coach said Letang’s unique abilities are at another level from an ordinary hockey player.
The Penguins take the ice at PPG Paints Arena tonight to play the Vegas Golden Knights. The airtime on 92.5 FM U92 and the U92 Sportschannel is 6 o’clock, with faceoff shortly after 7.
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