The Pittsburgh Penguins are riding a five-game win streak, but they’ll have to keep the momentum going without one of their most trusted veterans on the blue line. Kris Letang has been placed on Injured Reserve with a foot injury and is expected to miss at least four weeks, the team announced Thursday.
That’s a significant blow for Pittsburgh, even if the timing softens the impact a bit. The Penguins have just four games remaining before the NHL pauses for the Winter Olympics, meaning Letang could potentially return without missing a massive chunk of the season-assuming his recovery stays on track.
Still, any time without Letang is time without a key piece of the Penguins’ identity. At 38, he’s remained a workhorse on the back end, logging heavy minutes and continuing to drive play.
He’s appeared in 50 of the team’s first 52 games this season, tallying 25 points on three goals and 22 assists. That kind of production from a defenseman-especially one deep into his 30s-isn’t just valuable, it’s rare.
Letang’s durability has been a quiet storyline in recent years. He’s played at least 64 games in each of the last four full seasons, and during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign, he suited up for 55 of the team’s 56 contests. That kind of consistency has been a stabilizing force for a Penguins team that’s gone through its share of ups and downs.
With Letang out, Pittsburgh will likely lean more heavily on Erik Karlsson and Marcus Pettersson to soak up top-pair minutes. Karlsson, in particular, will be expected to take on more of the puck-moving and power-play responsibilities that Letang typically handles. It’s a tall order, but one the Penguins are built to manage-at least in the short term.
The team’s recent surge has them trending in the right direction, but maintaining that level of play without their longtime defensive anchor will be a test. Letang’s absence creates a hole that can’t be filled by just one player-it’ll take a group effort on the back end, smart puck management, and continued strong goaltending to keep the streak alive.
If there’s a silver lining, it’s that the Olympic break offers a natural buffer. If Letang's recovery sticks to the four-week timeline, he could return to the lineup with minimal disruption to the Penguins’ playoff push.
But make no mistake: Even a short stint without Letang is a challenge. He’s not just a veteran presence-he’s still one of the most important players on the ice.