Penguins lose Kris Letang to foot fracture at the worst possible time
The Pittsburgh Penguins just took a massive hit to their blue line as the team announced Kris Letang is headed to the shelf for at least a month with a fractured foot.
He's out.
No sugarcoating it.
Losing a guy who eats over 23 minutes a night is a nightmare for a team trying to stay in the hunt.
The Penguins confirmed they've placed the veteran on Injured Reserve and doctors expect him to miss four weeks minimum.
Drafted in the 3rd round, #62 overall back in 2005, Letang has been the engine in Pittsburgh for two decades.
But at 38 years old, the body doesn't bounce back like it used to.
The Penguins blue line looks thin without number 58
He has put up 3 goals and 22 assists for 25 points in 50 games so far this season.
Those aren't elite numbers but his presence on the top pair is what keeps the system from collapsing.
The Penguins are paying Letang a $6.1 million cap hit and he needs to earn that paycheck by being available.
Watching him go down with a fracture at this stage of the season is a gut punch.
The playoff race in the East is a dogfight and Pittsburgh can't afford to drop points while their best defender sits in the press box.
They've worked hard to stay relevant but now they have to survive February without their heart and soul.
Can this roster actually hold the fort while the legend recovers?
Kyle Dubas might need to go hunting for help because the season is officially on the brink.
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