Some scary news dropped on Wednesday when the Penguins announced that Kris Letang suffered a stroke on Monday.
His condition is not considered to be career-threatening, and he will continue to undergo medical testing over the next week.
Following the Penguins' optional morning skate prior to their 7:08 p.m. game against the Golden Knights here at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday, Mike Sullivan said Letang is continuing to do well, and that he has already made his way back to the ice for a non-hockey-related skate at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.
"He hasn’t been cleared for anything from a specific hockey standpoint at this point," Sullivan said. "What he has done, I think more for his own mental health, is — he was at the practice rink this morning. He did go for a twirl on the ice, and he did get approval by our doctors in that regard, but it’s nothing from a team standpoint or anything other than his own peace of mind.
"So he is active, yes. He continues to go through some testing, but he’s being closely monitored by our team of doctors that are advising him every day and advising us every day. Obviously, we will err on the side of caution with this one."
Sullivan mentioned on Wednesday that his biggest struggle was keeping Letang off the ice, as he's already been badgering Sullivan and Ron Hextall to get back out there.
"Tanger’s had a real positive, upbeat outlook with respect to this, and I think that helps the group, as well," Sullivan said.
The Penguins did not announce Letang's situation until player access had concluded on Wednesday, so the players who took the option to participate in the morning skate on Thursday were the first to speak on the matter.
"We weren’t really informed too much before the last game," Chad Ruhwedel said. "We knew that he just wasn’t here in the morning, and then after the game coach informed us, with Tanger here, about the situation. It’s just, like, eye-opening for all of us. It’s scary stuff, very serious, and we’re just glad that he’s doing well right now and that he’s continuing to progress."
In an attempt to provide as much relief as possible in a situation like this, Letang was with Sullivan in the Penguins' locker room when the team was informed of what was going on.
"Definitely important being able to see him there and kind of relieve some doubt," Ruhwedel said of Letang's presence in the room when the announcement was made. "I just thought that they were very reassuring that he was doing well, out of the hospital, obviously, and was able to be here with us. So that was a good sign."
Ryan Poehling said the news caught everyone off guard.
"Obviously, Tanger’s news was a lot more disheartening than the loss," Poehling said. "I mean, the loss itself was tough and sucked how it ended, but hearing that, you just hope and pray that he’s all right and that his family is doing well, so that’s all we can do for that and just wish him the best."
P.O Joseph, who has built a strong bond with Letang, didn't share much about his interactions or support for Letang since the stroke, insisting that some things aren't meant to go public.
"It’s definitely something that we try to keep inside here, and it’s not everyone’s business," Joseph said. "I think it’s personal life and I think he deserves some privacy for that."
While the Penguins will surely miss his presence on the ice, they're simply happy that Letang is doing well and in good spirits.
"I think there’s some stuff that’s bigger than hockey," Joseph said, "and that was definitely one of them."
MORE FROM THE SKATE
• Tristan Jarry will start in goal tonight against the Golden Knights, Sullivan confirmed. Jarry is 8-3-3 this season with a .914 save percentage, 2.91 goals against average. He has allowed 0.04 more goals than expected of him based on the quality of chances he's faced, or in other words, he's been perfectly average to this point.
• Here are the Penguins skaters who took the option to participate in the morning skate: Evgeni Malkin, Danton Heinen, Poehling, Blueger, Joseph, Ruhwedel, Casey DeSmith.
• It appears Kasperi Kapanen will be in the lineup for the second consecutive game against the Golden Knights. He played just shy of 13 minutes on Tuesday against the Hurricanes, attempting three shots (all on target) and throwing three hits. It was just his third game all season with multiple shots on goal.
• Expected lines and D-pairings for the Penguins:
Jake Guentzel - Sidney Crosby - Rickard Rakell
Jason Zucker - Evgeni Malkin - Bryan Rust
Brock McGinn - Jeff Carter - Kasperi Kapanen
Ryan Poehling - Teddy Blueger - Josh Archibald
Brian Dumoulin - Jeff Petry
Marcus Pettersson - Jan Rutta
P.O Joseph - Chad Ruhwedel
• Logan Thompson was the first goalie off the ice for the Golden Knights' morning skate, so he will likely get the start in goal. He has been one of the better goalies around the league this season, posting a 12-4 record, .921 save percentage and 2.44 goals against average while saving 5.02 more goals than expected.
• Tonight is 2000s theme night. The Penguins will once again don their Reverse Retro Robo-Penguin jerseys.
• Puck drops at 7:08 p.m. I'll be there, along with Dejan Kovacevic, for your coverage of the game. Follow along with us in our live file.
