March 28
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Defenseman Kris Letang did not play against the New York Islanders on Tuesday, but the good news is that the injury he is dealing with is not concussion-related. He is dealing with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Letang was involved in two violent collisions against the Devils on Sunday. Following one against winger Dainius Zubrus, he appeared woozy. Although Letang left the game for about five minutes, he did return. Coach Dan Bylsma made it very clear that Letang was not dealing with any concussion symptoms and was only allowed to return to the contest following a medical evaluation."
March 19
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Center Sidney Crosby and defenseman Kris Letang, both of whom returned to the lineup Thursday after dealing with head injuries, were pleased with how they responded while playing three games in four days. Crosby was held without a point against the Flyers on Sunday but looked dangerous at times and just missed the net on a golden opportunity to score in overtime. He finished with three shots and won 11 of 21 faceoffs. "I had a couple of chances in overtime," Crosby said. "Just need to execute, and hopefully those will go in. Give their goalie credit. He made some good saves." Defenseman Kris Letang was likely the Penguins' best player yesterday. He had assists on each of their goals and"
March 15
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Finally, all Sidney Crosby has to worry about is the game. Crosby was bombarded by dozens of reporters at Madison Square Garden this afternoon only hours before he returns to the Penguins' lineup, but handled the attention in his typical, laid back manner. He expressed little concern about putting his health at risk by returning to hockey following 15 months that have seen him deal with concussion symptoms. Crosby simply said he is prepared to face the Rangers tonight and happy to have been cleared to play the sport he has dominated. "I'm just excited to be back," Crosby said. When he made his previous return from a concussion - a four-point night in a 5-0 win against the New York"
March 14
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Sidney Crosby might not be the only star returning to the lineup on Thursday at Madison Square Garden. Defenseman Kris Letang took part in Tuesday's full-contact practice at Southpointe and, while he did not pronounce himself certain to play against the Rangers, he did not dismiss the possibility. Letang also confirmed that he was never diagnosed with a concussion following a Feb. 29 hit from Dallas' Eric Nystrom. "No," Letang said. "It's just a few symptoms appeared to be coming back. Probably from the old one. I don't know. But I didn't feel right. So we put me aside." Letang said he "doesn't know yet," regarding the possibility of playing on Thursday. However, he clearly is feeling"
March 11
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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The Penguins could again be without three of their top six defensemen when they host the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins today at Consol Energy Center. But there are encouraging signs that the blue line will be at full strength soon. Defensemen Deryk Engelland and Kris Letang participated in practice Saturday at Southpointe. Neither is likely to play today, but their presence is encouraging. "I felt pretty good today," Engelland said. "I wanted to push it a little harder than I did yesterday. No problems yet. We'll see how it feels tonight and (this morning).""
March 1
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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The two points weren't really that important. Kris Letang's health is. The Penguins' star defenseman left Wednesday's 4-3 win — Pascal Dupuis won it in a shootout — in Dallas with a head injury. Already having sustained a concussion earlier this season, Letang was drilled in the head by Dallas left wing Eric Nystrom at the 9:55 mark of the first period. Letang remained on the ice for around a minute, clearly in discomfort while being attended to by trainer Chris Stewart. He finally left the ice — looking shaky as he skated toward the runway — and didn't return. "Kris Letang is day-to-day at this point," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said"
January 30
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Fittingly, as the capper to a four-day stretch over which he constantly unveiled a personality worthy of attention, Penguins center Evgeni Malkin delivered a wicked one-liner about his own teammate after the NHL All-Star Game on Sunday. Of course, defenseman Kris Letang was not a teammate of Malkin's at Scotiabank Place. "Kris plays sometimes in (the) offensive zone, not defensive zone," Malkin said, referring to his set-up of Calgary Flames right winger Jarome Iginla's goal with Letang unsuccessfully defending on the sequence. "(Letang) gives me a chance to score, you know — so I say thank you to him.""
January 24
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Kris Letang had scheduled a trip to New York during the all-star break for what he thought would be a few days off. "But I've changed my plans," said Letang, who was added Monday to the All-Star Game roster and will join teammate Evgeni Malkin this weekend in Ottawa. "To be part of those guys, all those future Hall of Famers, it's an honor," Letang said, "and it's going to be a great weekend.""
January 19
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Defenseman Kris Letang is ready to return to the lineup for the first time in nearly two months, and he could be on the ice Thursday night against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Coach Dan Bylsma sounded hopeful Wednesday about Letang, who hasn't played since sustaining a concussion when he took an elbow to the head Nov. 26 in Montreal. "There is a chance for Kris (Thursday) ... and the remaining games before going into the (All-Star) break (Jan. 29)," Bylsma said. "It's how he feels and symptom-related, and he has been feeling good.""
December 6
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Montreal team physical Dr. David Mulder, MD, oversaw Penguins defenseman Kris Letang after he absorbed a hit from Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty on Nov. 27 and concluded that, despite a broken nose, Letang was fit to immediately return to the game. Letang, it turns out, was concussed. Penguins coach Dan Bylsma announced Monday that Letang and defenseman Zbynek Michalek, who were both injured in Montreal, have concussions. The severity of the concussions remains unknown, as does any possible return date. Neither player was active against Boston on Monday."
December 5
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Penguins coach Dan Bylsma confirmed this morning that defensemen Kris Letang and Zbynek Michalek have both been diagnosed with concussions. Both were injured on Nov. 27 in Montreal. It was originally unclear if either had a concussion following initial tests, but more procedures over the weekend confirmed the respective concussions."
December 1
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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The Penguins will again play without defensemen Zbynek Michalek and Kris Letang when they face the Capitals in Washingon on Thursday. There is concern that Michalek and Letang have concussions, though neither player has been diagnosed with the condition. Michalek was hit in the head late in Saturday's game against Montreal. Although he did pass an initial baseline test, Michalek is dealing with headaches and won't be cleared to play until the headaches disappear."
November 30
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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The Penguins were without defensemen Kris Letang (broken nose) and Zbynek Michalek (undisclosed injury) on Tuesday night. Each player will be re-evaluated Wednesday in Pittsburgh for precautionary reasons, coach Dan Bylsma said after a 4-3 loss to the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Replacing Letang and Michalek in the lineup were defensemen Robert Bortuzzo and Alexandre Picard, each recalled in the afternoon from AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Bortuzzo and Picard worked as a defense pairing against the Rangers."
November 28
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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All may be forgiven between the players, but the NHL wants to hear from Montreal Canadiens winger Max Pacioretty for his hit to the head against Penguins defenseman Kris Letang on Saturday night. Pacioretty will have a hearing by phone this morning with league discipline czar Brendan Shanahan. Another dose of the regret that Pacioretty displayed Saturday night could serve him well with Shanahan, who in his first season handling supplemental discipline has gained respect among players for his perspective on topics such as illegal hits to the head. Pacioretty caught Letang in the face with his upper left arm late in the third period at Bell Centre. No penalty was called. Letang's nose was"
November 2
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Penguins center Jordan Staal and defenseman Kris Letang missed practice for a second consecutive day at Southpointe on Tuesday, but Penguins coach Dan Bylsma emphasized that he believes both will play in San Jose and Los Angeles later this week. Staal missed Saturday's game against Toronto with a lower-body injury. "Continued maintenance recovering from bumps and bruises," Bylsma said. Staal skated before practice for a second straight day. The nature of Letang's injury is unknown, though Letang and Staal were seen at Southpointe walking without limps."
October 20
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
columnist Joe Starkey
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Tough job. That phrase comes to mind every time I watch Brendan Shanahan explain his latest punishment via streaming video on nhl.com. The NHL's new head of discipline looks as if he's aged 10 years in two months. I can see why. In emerging from the Paleolithic Age, the NHL has entered a hypersensitive era in which every questionable hit is broken down like the Zapruder film. Unless it's a cheap shot as obvious as the one Matt Cooke put on Ryan McDonagh last season, most disputable hits these days leave massive gray area for interpretation. Somebody is going to be very unhappy with every Shanahan ruling."
October 19
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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The Penguins offered no complaint after the NHL suspended defenseman Kris Letang two games Tuesday for a boarding penalty incurred the previous night. In the third period of the 2-1 loss at Winnipeg, Letang hit Jets left winger Alexander Burmistrov from behind. Burmistrov went into the boards — he was not injured — and Letang was assessed a minor penalty. Tuesday, Letang had a conference-call hearing with NHL discipline czar Brendan Shanahan, after which the league announced the suspension, one that kept Letang from playing last night at Minnesota and will keep him out Thursday at home against Montreal. Under the league's labor agreement, Letang will forfeit $37,837.84 of his salary to the"
October 18
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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The Penguins will be without top defenseman Kris Letang until Saturday night because he was suspended for two games today by the NHL. Letang, the team leader in points (seven), average ice-time (26:01) and plus/minus (plus-3), was suspended today after a hearing with new league discipline czar Brendan Shanahan for an illegal hit on Winnipeg`s Alexander Burmistrov on Monday night. Letang was assessed a minor penalty for boarding at 13:08 of the third period at Winnipeg after hitting Burmistrov from behind near the boards. "The video shows that after Letang`s shot is blocked, both players pursue the loose puck," Shanahan said in a video statement on NHL.com. "Letang recognizes that"
October 18
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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The Penguins have recalled defenseman Brian Strait from AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but it is not known if he will need to play for them tonight at the Minnesota Wild. Strait could replace defenseman Kris Letang, who was summoned for a NHL disciplinary hearing because of a hit Monday night in a loss at Winnipeg. The league has not announced if Letang has been disciplined. Letang received a minor penalty for boarding — a rule whose enforcement needed to be re-emphasized league, general managers decided last March — after a hit from behind on Winnipeg`s Alexander Burmistrov in the third period of the Penguins` 2-1 loss at Winnipeg on Monday night."
October 13
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Kris Letang, like many notable Penguins, did not practice Wednesday, which is not to suggest he took the day off. Trainers treated a few of his bruises that come with playing defense in the NHL. Letang also studied video of his latest gem of a performance — an assist, a plus-3 rating, two hits and a blocked shot in the 25 minutes, 48 seconds he played Tuesday night in a 4-2 win over Florida. However, most important Wednesday, Letang had his legs stretched and massaged. The regular season is only a week old and Letang is just 24, but keeping him fresh is a priority for coach Dan Bylsma, as the Penguins continue a wicked October schedule. "Typically, at the beginning of the year, you're"
October 7
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang scored shootout goals to give the Penguins a 4-3 win in Vancouver. Matt Cooke scored two goals in the victory. James Neal, who scored only two goals in 27 games with the Penguins last season, started the scoring at the 5:04 mark of the first period. From a bad angle, Neal fired a shot off goalie Roberto Luongo's right leg and in for a power play tally. Malkin and Letang earned assists on the play."