In seven NHL games last season, Kristopher Letang put up 8 shots, two of which hit the mark. Shooting at 25%, and offering a much needed right handed shot to the Pens defensive core, he seemed like a perfect fit. However, it was his lack of patience on defense and his urge to over commit on plays that opened up odd man rushes and ultimately sent him back down to work on fundamentals.
This season however, is a different story. He's learned to be a more stay at home defenseman who uses his lean frame as an obstacle rather than a weapon. At six foot, barely 200 pounds, it would almost seem Letang is a bit undersized. But if there was ever evidence needed to prove fast and sleek overpowers slow and bulky in the new NHL, then Letang is it.
Scouts around the league warned of Letang’s prowess before the season’s start. Even last year Letang was spoken highly of, but often overshadowed by the taller and more powerful former QMJHL teammate Luc Bourdon. Even still, Letang possesses a brain for the game that goes beyond his years.
In a little less than a year he has gained a fine mix of experience and education to improve his play. Now, things are looking better than ever for Letang as he guns for the Penguins squad.
Outside of his seven games with the Pens last season, Letang remained relatively quiet. However in the 2005-06 season with the Val-d’Or Foreurs of the QMJHL, Letang was anything but. In 60 games, the crack of his stick sent 25 shots home, setting up another 43 for a season total of 68 points and a spot on the QMJHL All-Star team. Not to mention, despite the label of offensive-defenseman, Letang gained more attention as he was voted best defenseman and best defensive defenseman in the ‘Q’.
Yet there is one thing that singles Letang out from the average blueliner; he is deadly on the power play. In fact, his only two NHL goals came on the power play. In his first season with Val-d’Or, Letang tallied 13 power play points. In comparison, Sergei Gonchar’s best PP season was also at the superstitious 13 (with the Capitals in 1998).
At twenty years old, it would almost seem like the Penguins would just take Kristopher Letang for his age. After all, it seems to be a team trend. But regardless of his age and how well he may fit in a theoretical sense, Letang still has to prove he is capable. He’ll have the rest of the preseason to do it, and if all goes well he’ll find himself in the black and gold soon enough.
| GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM |
| 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -3 | 4 |
