(Pittsburgh) The Pittsburgh Penguins have removed veteran defenseman Kristopher Letang from the long-term injured list, suggesting he could play Tuesday night against the Florida Panthers.
The 35-year-old defenseman hasn’t played since sustaining a lower-body injury in an overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 28. He also took time off to return to Montreal, due to the death of his father earlier this month.
Letang, who signed a six-year contract extension this summer, is having a tough season so far with two goals and 14 assists in 29 games. He missed two weeks in November and December after suffering a stroke for the second time in eight years.
The Penguins hope his return to play will be a motivation for the team. The club, which has been in the playoffs for the past 16 years, the longest active streak of any franchise among major sports in North America, started their day Tuesday in the eighth and final position giving access to the after-ball. season in the Eastern Conference.
On Tuesday, the Penguins also placed defenseman Jan Rutta on the long-term injured list and forward Kasperi Kapanen on the injured list, retroactive to Jan. 14 and Jan. 18, respectively.