After April heart surgery, Penguins' Kris Letang feeling 'really good' as camp opens

The regularity with which Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang has bounced back from significant injuries and even life-threatening health scares approaches the unbelievable.

Concussions, a broken foot and hand, a fractured finger and neck surgery to repair a herniated disk are among — but far from all — the on-ice injuries Letang has suffered in his career, now entering Year 20 with the Penguins.

More ominous have been Letang’s battles with strokes, as he suffered one in 2014 and another in 2022, putting into question his ability to continue playing the demanding, violent sport of hockey.

But through it all, Letang has gotten back on two feet.

In April, with one game left in the Penguins’ regular season, which ended without a trip to the playoffs for the third straight year, Letang opted to undergo surgery to close a patent foramen ovale (small hole in the heart), significantly reducing his future risk of strokes.

After a recovery period of about a month-and-a-half, Letang was able to enjoy one of his trademark rigorous offseasons ahead of Penguins training camp, which commenced Thursday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.

“It was something that’s been on the radar for multiple years,” the 38-year-old Letang said. “It’s just that technology and science actually evolve every single year, so I think that decision took time, but, at the end of the day, we’re looking long-term instead of looking day-to-day. I’m glad it’s behind me, and I feel good, really good.

“Offseason was, obviously, longer than expected as always, but I trained the same way I did in the past and got ready for the season.”

Familiar faces joined Letang on the ice Thursday in fellow franchise pillars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, as well as Erik Karlsson, the club’s highest-paid player ($10 average annual value), who enters his third campaign in Pittsburgh.

But decidedly unfamiliar was the man leading the Penguins in his first practice as coach, Dan Muse, hired in early June to replace Mike Sullivan, who was fired then took the helm of the New York Rangers shortly thereafter.

Letang was one of several players Thursday to offer an initial assessment of playing under Muse, which, as many admitted, was made after a lone day of practice.

While Letang admitted it will be strange not having Sullivan around after more than a decade, the Penguins’ alternate captain is embracing the change and eager to learn from Muse, who is only five years his senior.

“It’s not my first time having a new coach,” Letang said. “When you have somebody for so long, it feels weird. But you have to be able to put that to the side. Whoever is your coach, you have to do whatever it takes to make your team better, but, at the same time, he’s going to demand different things from you. You have to work on those things.

“He might see the game differently than (Sullivan) did, and it might open your eyes on different things. Every single coach, whether you like him or not, at the end of the day, they bring you something to make you a better professional, whether it’s on the ice or off the ice. I’m excited to learn new things.”

As far as on-the-ice matters, Letang aims to bounce back from an underwhelming 2024-25.

In 74 games, he scored nine goals with 21 assists, averaging 23 minutes, 32 seconds of nightly ice time.

His points were the lowest since 2013-14, when, in an injury-shortened campaign, he contributed 22 in 37 games, while, minutes-wise, Letang saw his playing time decrease by just over a minute from two seasons ago.

Letang is the Penguins’ franchise leader among defensemen in games (1,161), goals (175), assists (597) and points (772).

Despite that resume, he doesn’t aim to simply go through the motions during training camp.

It’s been more than 20 years since Letang showed up for the preseason as an unproven teenager, but even two decades later, he plans to operate like his roster spot is in jeopardy.

“We’re a team. We’re in a situation where every spot is up for grabs,” Letang said. “The young guys are ready. They want to battle, (and) they want to make a name for themselves.”