According to the Pittsburgh Penguins, defenseman Kris Letang will be out indefinitely following the 2nd stroke of his career.
Penguins GM Ron Hextall released a statement indicating that the blueliner had been taken to a local hospital on Monday following complaints of a migraine.
“Kris reported symptoms to the training staff on Monday and was immediately taken to the hospital for testing,” said Hextall. “The test results were shocking to hear, but we are grateful that Kris is doing well. We are thankful to the medical staff and the physicians at UPMC. He is a warrior on the ice, but first and foremost, he is a son, father, husband and friend. His health is our number one priority.”
The 35 year old is reportedly not experiencing any lasting effects and will continue to undergo further testing in the weeks ahead. While the condition is not believed to be career threatening, the Penguins are nevertheless taking every precaution possible when it comes to their star defenseman.
“I am fortunate to know my body well enough to recognize when something isn’t right,” said Letang. “While it is difficult to navigate this issue publicly, I am hopeful it can raise awareness. It is important for me that my teammates, family and the fans know that I am okay. I am optimistic that I will be back on the ice soon.”
Letang currently leads all Penguins players in ice time averaging 23:54 a night. The three time Stanley Cup winner signed a 6 year contract extension with the club in July of 2022. He is currently tied to the Penguins through the 2027-28 season with a $6.1M AAV counting against the cap.
The 6’1” blue liner was born with a very small hole in the wall of his heart which has caused him to have two strokes over the course of his career.
The first stroke he suffered occurred in 2014 which caused him to miss 2 months of hockey. It’s currently unknown when Letang will be cleared medically to return to the ice.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: Michael Miller. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.