A day after Kris Letang underwent successful surgery to close a patent foramen ovale, a small defect in his heart, he was seen at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. The anticipated recovery time from the procedure is four to six weeks.
Sidney Crosby commented on Letang’s condition, stating, “You see him around and hanging out, in good spirits, that’s all you can ask for. Given his history, I think you just want him to be healthy. That’s the main thing. It seems like it’s something that is fairly common. I think it’s something that he’s happy that he’s got done. Hopefully, (it) helps him.”
Letang was born with the heart defect, discovered when he had a stroke in 2014, causing him to miss over two months. He suffered a second stroke in 2022, and the Penguins’ head team physician, Dr. Dharmesh Vyas, indicated that the defect could have caused both incidents. Letang returned to playing in under two weeks and has been consistently in the lineup since.
Head coach Mike Sullivan addressed the timing of the surgery, emphasizing that it was not a reactionary decision. “Given the circumstance with Kris right now – he’s banged up, he’s dealing with a lot of bumps and bruises – collectively, we thought as a group it made the most sense to have this procedure done at this particular time,” Sullivan stated. “It isn’t anything that caused it. It was just something that has been an ongoing discussion for a long period of time now, and we just thought this was the opportune time to do it.”
Bryan Rust spoke about Letang’s approach to the surgery, saying, “he was really mature about it. He understood it needed to be done and just treated it that way. He didn’t treat it as if he was worried, which I think eased everybody’s mind, too.”
Letang’s teammates were supportive, with Erik Karlsson humorously remarking, “He’s a maniac. I’m happy everything went well. Hopefully it’s 4-6 (weeks) and then he can continue doing his thing.”
Letang has always managed to impress those around him with his resilience despite his health challenges. Crosby acknowledged Letang’s fortitude, saying, “I’m sure he’s had some difficult moments and decisions. But he’s handled it as good as you possibly can. His attitude, his mindset is pretty incredible, pretty strong.” Crosby added with a smile, “It’s that stubbornness, I think, that’s served him well.”
Letang prioritizes his role as a family man over being a hockey player, but as long as playing remains safe, he intends to continue. Rust praised Letang’s dedication to his health, noting, “I think his ability to keep himself in peak physical condition separates him from a lot of people and allows him to be as good as he is [for a long time] and to play so many minutes.”
Crosby humorously concluded, “I think he wants to play until he’s 50. So, he makes it known that he wants to play for a long time.”
