The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost defencemen Brian Dumoulin and Kris Letang due to injuries in the game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Both defencemen suffered their respective injuries in the second period of the NHL Stadium Series Game played in Philadelphia. The Penguins had to finish the game with just four defencemen. It resulted to a late comeback for the Flyers, who claimed the outdoor game with a 4-3 overtime victory.
Coach Sullivan confirms that Brian Dumoulin has a concussion and Kris Letang is being evaluated for an upper body injury.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) 24. februára 2019
Brian Dumoulin and Kris Letang Both Injured For The Pittsburgh Penguins
Letang and Dumoulin suffered injuries in the second period on the game Saturday. Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said post-game that Dumoulin was knocked out with a concussion. Letang suffered an upper-body injury and was limited to just 6:18 of the ice-time while Dumoulin to only 6:06 of the ice-time.
Letang is having a career year and many fans believe he is one of the main candidates for the Norris Trophy. The 31-year-old defenceman has 15 goals and 38 assists for 53 points in 60 games this season. His contract runs through the 2021-22 season with a salary cap hit of $7,250,000 per year.
Dumoulin is also experiencing a marvelous season. During 62 games played, the 27-year-old blueliner has totaled two goals and 19 assists for 21 points. In the previous season, Dumoulin has recorded 18 points in 80 games for comparison. He carries a contract worth $4,099,999 per year until the 2022-23 season.
What That Means For The Future
Letang and Dumoulin formed a first defensive pair for the Penguins. Pittsburgh hopes it’s not a long-term issue. “He’s not an easy guy to replace. But I think the guys that have come in at different points this year have done a great job of coming in. Everyone is just helping each other out. That’s what we’re going to have to do,” said Sullivan about Letang.
For now, it remains unknown who will replace either of these defencemen. The Penguins play their next game on Tuesday night in Columbus against the Blue Jackets. Their injuries resulted in 31:08 of the ice-time for Jack Johnson and 30:02 of the ice-time for Justin Schultz. The Penguins blew a 3-1 late in the third period and lost the game in overtime. Finishing the game with just four defencemen surely had a negative impact on that.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 22: Matt Murray #30 and Kris Letang #58 of the Pittsburgh Penguins defend against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period their game at PNC Arena on December 22, 2018 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Penguins won 3-0. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
