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Kris Letang’s "strange" injury takes a darker turn for the Penguins
Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Kris Letang landing on injured reserve jolts the Pittsburgh Penguins, because their blue line and power play run through him.
It is a confirmed IR stint, and the team still has not given details on the injury.
Letang already missed two games last week, then got back in the lineup before this move.
That quick in and out is usually the tell. Something is lingering.
On the season, he has 3-22-25 in 50 games.
Pittsburgh is 27-14-11, and this stretch before the Olympic break is packed with points.
Take Letang away and the exits get slower. The forwards end up starting too many shifts in their own end.
He is also the safety valve on broken plays. One swivel at the blue line, one keep-in, and the attack resets.
Now the minutes have to go somewhere. That is the scary part.
Kris Letang absence tests the Pittsburgh Penguins backbone
Penguins fans feel that familiar stomach drop, because injuries on the right side never stay simple in this town.
Erik Karlsson has already been on injured reserve recently, so the margin is thin.
If Karlsson is not ready to carry a bigger load, Pittsburgh is asking depth defenders to play above their comfort zone.
Even if Karlsson is available, the pairings get tricky. Someone has to take the hard matchups, and someone has to drive the puck.
The man advantage also changes. Letang’s calm up top is hard to replace, especially when teams pressure the points.
This is where the Penguins miss his rhythm, not just his name.
The next game becomes about clean clears, shorter shifts, and surviving the first ten minutes without scrambling.
Because without Letang, chaos finds you fast.
Update: Letang is out for four weeks with a broken foot.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 31|124 ANSWERS Kris Letang’s "strange" injury takes a darker turn for the Penguins Should the Pittsburgh Penguins keep Kris Letang out until after the Olympic break even if he feels close? | ||
| Yes | 113 | 91.1 % |
| No | 11 | 8.9 % |
| List of polls | ||