CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Kris Letang was out of the lineup for the Penguins' 3-2 overtime loss to the Hurricanes on Tuesday. It was then announced on Wednesday by Ron Hextall that Letang suffered a stroke on Monday.
Letang is not experiencing lingering effects of the stroke and will undergo a series of tests over the next week. His condition is not considered to be career threatening.
The Penguins will not be providing any further updates on his status until testing has been completed and once a medical plan is put together.
"Kris reported symptoms to the training staff on Monday and was immediately taken to the hospital for testing," Hextall said. "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 UMPC. He is a warrior on the ice, but first and foremost, he is a son, father, husband and friend. His health is our No. 1 priority."
Letang experienced migraines and wasn't feeling right on Monday night, so he called head athletic trainer Chris Stewart. Head team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas then said Letang needed to go to the hospital right away. After testing, it was revealed Letang had a stroke.
"I am fortunate to know my body well enough to recognize when something isn’t right," Letang said. "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."
When speaking with the media following practice at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Wednesday, Hextall said Letang is doing well and that he was at the game Tuesday night. Mike Sullivan made the team aware of Letang's condition following the game. Letang was there with him.
"After the game last night, I informed the players of Kris' circumstance," Sullivan said. "He was with me when I did. It was important for Kris to be there because his teammates got to see him in good spirits and that he's doing well."
Sullivan went on to mention the concern on the players' faces when he told them, noting just how much Letang means to the team.
"Knowing this group the way I know them, they’ll rally around this," Sullivan said. "They'll rally around Kris, first and foremost, and help him in every way they can. They'll rally around him on the ice, as well."
This is the second stroke Letang has suffered, the first of which happened eight years ago. That's when it was discovered that Letang was born with a tiny hole in the wall of his heart. Hextall said this one, though, is "much less severe" than the first.
"He wants to assure everybody that he's doing as well as possible," Hextall said. "Thus far, everything is looking as positive as it could be."
According to Hextall, who is "shocked" at how well he's taking it, Letang already asked how soon he can return to the ice and resume skating.
"He's a terrific human being and one tough S.O.B.," Hextall said.
And according to Sullivan, his biggest struggle on Wednesday was trying to keep Letang off the ice. He wanted to skate.
"When something like this arises, it puts things into perspective for all of us," Sullivan said. "We love the game. We compete hard. We live and die with winning and losing every night. But at the end of the day, we care about people, and he’s a guy that means a lot to our team."
As great as it would be for Letang to return to the ice in quick fashion, that's not even on the Penguins' radar at the moment. Hextall said they'll do "as many tests as we need" to prioritize his health.
"The hockey player and Pittsburgh Penguin is secondary," Hextall said.
When Letang suffered his first stroke during the 2013-14 season, he was put on a six-week treatment taking blood thinners. He did not return to game action until the following season.
The 35-year-old has one goal and 11 assists in 21 games this season. He is in the first year of a six-year contract with a cap hit of $6.1 million.