Penguins A to Z: Kris Letang’s passion got him through 2022-23
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With the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2022-23 season coming to an end without any postseason action, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 49 individuals signed to an NHL contract – including those whose deals do not begin until next season — with the organization, from mid-level prospect Corey Andonovski to top-six winger Jason Zucker.
This series will publish every weekday leading into the NHL Draft on June 28 and 29.
(Note: All contract information courtesy of Cap Friendly.)
Kris Letang
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right
Age: 36
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 201 pounds
2022-23 NHL statistics: 64 games, 41 points (12 goals, 29 assists)
Contract: In the first year of a six-year contract with a salary cap hit of $6.1 million. Pending unrestricted free agent in the 2028 offseason.
(Note: Letang’s contract contains a no-movement clause.)
Acquired: Third-round draft pick (No. 62 overall), July 30, 2005
Last season: It was fair to question how sound of a decision it was to extend a six-year contract to a player in his mid-30s with a lengthy list of medical maladies.
But Letang’s intentions were pretty clear when he discussed his new deal last July.
“In my mind, I was going to play at that level until I was 40, 41, 42, maybe even more,” Letang said at the Bell Centre in Montreal during the first night of the NHL Draft on July 7. “The passion is there.”
That passion helped Letang endure a brutal 2022-23 season, particularly off the ice.
The first month and a half of his campaign was fairly mundane by the lofty standards he has established. In 21 games, he posted a ho-hum 12 points (one goal, 11 assists) while filling his usual duties as the team’s top defenseman.
Then, any concerns about his offensive production or ability to make crisp outlet passes or any other on-ice detail were rendered irrelevant when he suffered the second stroke of his career Nov. 28.
Fortunately, this stroke wasn’t nearly as serious as his previous bout in 2014, and Letang was only sidelined for less than two weeks and a total of five games.
In December, Letang appeared in eight games and scored four points (one goal, three assists) before an undisclosed injury hobbled him Dec. 28.
Three days later, his father, Claude Fouquet died, prompting Letang to take a leave of absence to attend to his family.
Fully healed, at least physically, Letang came back to the lineup in a big way Jan. 24. In a wild 7-6 overtime home win against the Florida Panthers, Letang tallied four points (two goals, two assists), including the winning goal.
Letang’s production picked up in the final months of the season as the Penguins made a futile pursuit of a playoff berth. In his last 35 games of 2022-23, Letang tallied 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) while averaging a robust 25:07 of ice time per contest.
The future: Whatever direction the Penguins take on with a new general manager, Letang is going to remain a major component of the franchise.
And while his health will always remain a valid concern, the investment he has put into his craft in the form of his off-ice training and other regimens — particularly osteopathy — will allow him a legitimate opportunity at still being a high-end defenseman into his 40s.
His passion for hockey got him through a brutal 2022-23 season and it will take him much further.