Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang will not play within the staff’s last sport of the common season after the veteran underwent a coronary heart process on Tuesday, GM Kyle Dubas confirmed.
“Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang underwent profitable surgical procedure, it was introduced as we speak by President of Hockey Operations and Common Supervisor Kyle Dubas,” the staff wrote within the official launch.
“Letang had profitable closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO; small gap within the coronary heart). The process was carried out at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital by interventional heart specialist Dr. Conrad Smith. The anticipated restoration time is 4 to 6 weeks.”
The surgical procedure was first found after Letang had a stroke in January of 2014, confirmed The Athletic’s Rob Rossi on Wednesday. Letang suffered a second stroke in 2022 that price him over a month of the season.
“In response to UPMC, all people have this gap earlier than delivery, however for most individuals, the opening closes at delivery or shortly after,” Rossi wrote. “When the opening was first found, Letang was instructed by a heart specialist that he might delay the surgical procedure and proceed taking part in. Going through a 3rd consecutive prolonged offseason after lacking the playoffs, Letang opted to have the surgical procedure now so he can prepare often this summer season earlier than NHL groups reconvene in September.”
Letang performed a season-low 17:21 in a 4-1 loss towards the Boston Bruins on Sunday. He missed observe on Tuesday due to what head coach Mike Sullivan referred to as “a medical appointment.”
The Penguins will miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a 3rd consecutive time in 2024-25 — that is the primary time it is occurred throughout Letang’s almost 19-year profession.
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It has been a troublesome marketing campaign for Letang, who has chipped in simply 9 objectives and 30 factors over 74 video games this season. That is his lowest offensive totals in a 12 months the place he is performed 70 or extra video games since 2009-10.
Pittsburgh is making an attempt to strike a stability between retooling on the fly and remaining aggressive within the twilight of Letang, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin’s careers.
However that is turning out to be simpler stated than performed; the Penguins will end with one other dropping document and seventh place within the Metropolitan Division.
At 33-36-12, nobody is simply too pleased with how the season has gone in Pennsylvania. After making the playoffs in every of Letang’s first 16 seasons, this will probably be a 3rd consecutive one he and the franchise have missed.
Now 37 years outdated, Letang is signed for 3 extra seasons, and he’ll make $6.1 million towards the cap in every of these years. He owns a full no-movement clause and is more likely to retire a Penguin, no matter how the following couple of campaigns go.
The Pens will full their 2024-25 season on Thursday evening — the ultimate day of the NHL’s schedule — towards Alex Ovechkin and the visiting Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Enviornment. Puck is about to drop simply previous 7:00 p.m. ET.