On Saturday afternoon Pittsburgh Penguins star defenceman Kris Letang took a hard hit from Arizona Coyotes forward Shane Doan. He left the ice and crashed down hard before hitting the boards. Letang left the contest and did not return. He had to be helped off by teammates and was taken to a local hospital.
Kris Letang Out Indefinitely With Concussion
On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Johnston updated his condition in a press conference prior to the Penguins game with the San Jose Sharks.
“He has a concussion, so that’s been determined. He’s been released from the hospital. Watching the hit … It was just him going back,” Penguins coach Mike Johnston said. “It was just such a distance from the boards. When he landed and his head snapped back into the boards that was the main impact of the injury. We’ll see how he feels over the next couple of days and go from there.”
The 27-year-old Letang has 11 goals and 43 assists in 69 games this season. He is third in team scoring behind only Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. He is just six points behind Senators defenceman Erik Karlsson for the NHL scoring lead amongst defencemen.
Letang has spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Penguins after being drafted in the third round (62nd overall) in the 2005 NHL Draft. In 491 career games, he has put up 61 goals and 219 assists for 280 career NHL points. Letang was also a 2012-13 Norris Trophy finalist. Letang missed 45 games last season with a leg injury, and after suffering a stroke.
The Penguins will have to play the game against San Jose with only five healthy defenceman. Johnson indicated that forward Daniel Winnick could play defence in the game on an emergency basis.
Shane Doan will not receive any discipline from the NHL department of player safety as a result of the hit.
Main Photo by Bruce Bennett via Getty Images/NHL Collection
