Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Kris Letang is already back on the ice and 'making progress' after being ruled out indefinitely after having a stroke.
General manager Ron Hextall announced on Tuesday that Letang had suffered his second career stroke after initially reported symptoms last Monday. Letang missed their recent defeat to Carolina Hurricanes after being sidelined with 'illness', but Hextall then confirmed that he had suffered a stroke.
Thankfully for Letang, the Penguins said that his situation is not 'life threatening', and the NHL star is not experiencing 'any lasting effects'. And Letang has already taken part in light skating, after reassuring fans he is "optimistic" about returning to action.
Letang's stroke will not affect his future career despite initial concerns, with the 35-year-old's condition not as bad as first thought. An update on Letang was provided by coach Mike Sullivan on Saturday, after a morning skate at PPG Paints Arena.
"His spirits are really good," Sullivan said. "He’s making progress. He looks really good. He skated yesterday. A lot of that is still not in the form of structured ‘hockey skates’ but just getting out on the ice.
"He’s working out a little bit. He’s such a fitness freak. That’s just part of his DNA. That’s his comfort zone. Our doctors are monitoring him very closely.
"Everything that he’s doing at this point, he gets approval from our medical team. He is making progress and he’s in great spirits."
Letang was out for two months in 2014 when suffering his first stroke, when tests revealed he was born with a very small hole in the wall of his heart, which typically closes on its own in most cases. Hextall confirmed that the situation eight years ago was a lot more severe than his recent case.
Tests are still ongoing, and Letang remains out indefinitely while they manage his return. But coach Sullivan is hopeful that they can welcome him back in the near future. "He looks really good,” Sullivan said.
"We’re hopeful he continues to progress here so at some point here, we can re-engage him from a hockey standpoint." And Letang has also commented, claiming that he hopes to be back as soon as possible.
"I am fortunate to know my body well enough to recognise when something isn't right," Letang said in a press release. "While it is difficult to navigate this issue publicly, I am hopeful it can raise awareness. I am optimistic that I will be back on the ice soon."
