Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang has been labeled as a “game-time decision” for Tuesday’s home game against the Florida Panthers at PPG Paints Arena.

Coach Mike Sullivan announced Letang’s status following a morning skate.

Letang was a full participant in the morning skate and even worked with long-time defensive partner Brian Dumoulin on the team’s top defensive pair during line rushes. Additionally, Letang worked with the second power-play unit.

Currently designated to long-term injured reserve, Letang has missed the past 11 games due to an undisclosed injury.

In 29 games this season, Letang leads the team’s defensemen with 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) and leads the Penguins’ non-goaltenders with an average of 24:32 of ice time per contest.

In order to activate Letang from long-term injured reserve, the team will need to make a corresponding transaction to remain compliant with the NHL’s salary cap ceiling of $82.5 million.

According to Cap Friendly, the Penguins currently have $3,409,167 of salary cap space. Potentially placing hobbled forward Kasperi Kapanen ($3.2 million cap hit) and/or defenseman Jan Rutta ($2.75 million cap hit) on long-term injured reserve could create enough flexibility to activate Letang, who carries a salary cap hit of $6.1 million.

Players designated to long-term injured reserve must be sidelined for 10 games and 24 days on the NHL calendar.

An undisclosed injury has kept Kapanen out of the lineup for the past two games and six days while Rutta, currently designated to regular injured reserve, has been sidelined for the past four games and 10 days.

Notes:

• The Penguins are expected to start goaltender Tristan Jarry. In 27 games this season, Jarry has a 16-5-5 record, a 2.65 goals against average, a .921 save percentage and one shutout.

During a 4-2 road win against the Panthers on Dec. 15, Jarry made 32 saves on 34 shots.

• Penguins forward Josh Archibald took part in the morning skate in a full capacity, though he was relegated to a reserve role with regard to line rushes.

Sidelined since Dec. 18, Archibald has missed the past 15 games due to an undisclosed injury. On Monday evening, management quietly transferred him from regular injured reserve to long-term injured reserve.

Archibald carries a salary cap hit of $900,000.

• Kapanen worked out prior to the morning skate with assistant coach Ty Hennes.

• According to Sullivan, Rutta has skated sporadically during his convalescence but he did not take the ice on Tuesday.

• The Penguins’ lines and pairs during the morning skate were:

59 Jake Guentzel – 87 Sidney Crosby – 17 Bryan Rust

16 Jason Zucker – 71 Evgeni Malkin – 67 Rickard Rakell

23 Brock McGinn – 53 Teddy Blueger – 77 Jeff Carter

10 Drew O’Connor – 25 Ryan Poehling – 43 Danton Heinen

8 Brian Dumoulin – 58 Kris Letang

28 Marcus Pettersson – 26 Jeff Petry

73 P.O Joseph – 2 Chad Ruhwedel

24 Ty Smith – 52 Mark Friedman

The top power-play unit included Crosby, Guentzel, Malkin, Petry and Rakell. The second power-play unit involved Carter, Heinen, Letang, Rust and Zucker.

• The Panthers did not hold a morning skate after traveling overnight from New York following a 6-2 road loss to the New York Rangers.

• Former Penguins forward Patric Hornqvist is currently on long-term injured reserve due to a concussion. He has not suited up for the Panthers since Dec. 6.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)