The Pittsburgh Penguins (33-36-12) announced on Wednesday that defenseman Kris Letang has undergone successful heart surgery.
He is expected to miss the next four to six weeks, ending his season before the Penguins’ final game against the Washington Capitals (51-21-9) on Thursday.
The surgery was done to close the patent foramen ovale (PFO), which is a small hole in the heart. This hole is believed to be the cause of the 37-year-old’s initial stroke in 2014.
According to cardiologists who spoke about his first stroke, the PFO is a hole that normally closes up at birth. It can lead to strokes in some, but not all. Some treat the condition with blood thinners, but for an athlete like Letang, blood thinners could cause other bleeding risks.
Letang had a second stroke in November 2022, which doctors had described as smaller than the first one. While the PFO surgery could give Letang a few more years of solid playing time, many fans believe that it might be time for him to hang up the skates.
In his 19th year in the NHL, Letang has had a solid career. He helped lead the Penguins to three Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016 and 2017. He won the Bill Masterton Trophy for the 2022-23 season, the same season as his second stroke. He played in six NHL All-Star Games and is the first defenseman in Penguins history to score 500 points.
Even with the time missed for the two strokes and other injuries throughout his career, Letang has played 1,161 games and averaged 24:11 minutes of ice time.
The Penguins are missing the playoffs for the third straight season. Getting back to a playoff berth is a great reason for Letang to want to return to the ice next season. But he has been pushing through these health issues for a long time. As he grows older, so does his family. He may want to think about whether the risk of continuing to play is worth the reward.
A beloved member of the team and the Pittsburgh community, teammates, coaches and fans alike would all understand if Letang decides to make this his last season. It may not be the way he wants to end his career. But he would be healthy, and that’s worth more than a run in the playoffs.
