PITTSBURGH — Kris Letang skated on an individual basis Thursday morning, three days after he suffered another stroke. But coach Mike Sullivan downplayed that development, saying Letang has not been cleared for any rigorous hockey activities.
"What he has done, I think more for his own mental health, is he was at the practice rink this morning. He did go for a twirl on the ice. And he did get approval by our doctors in that regard," he said after Thursday's morning skate. "But it's nothing from a team standpoint or anything other than his own peace of mind."
There remains no official timetable for Letang's return to the Penguins lineup.
"He continues to go through some testing. But he's being closely monitored by our team of doctors that are advising him every day and advising us every day," his coach said. "Obviously, we will err on the side of caution with this one."
After the Penguins practiced Monday, Letang experienced a migraine and did not feel well physically. He reported his symptoms to the team's medical staff, who told Letang to go to the hospital. Doctors there diagnosed him with a stroke.
Penguins general manager Ron Hextall said Wednesday that this stoke is "much less severe" than the one that Letang suffered in 2014, which sidelined him for more than two months. During that time, testing revealed that the six-time All-Star defenseman was born with a very small hole in the wall of his heart.
The Penguins don't believe the health scare is career-threatening. In a statement released Wednesday, Letang said he hopes to return to the lineup soon.
"I am fortunate to know my body well enough to recognize when something isn't right," he said. "While it is difficult to navigate this issue publicly, I am hopeful it can raise awareness. It is important for me that my teammates, family and the fans know that I am OK. I am optimistic that I will be back on the ice soon."
Letang broke to the news of his stroke to his teammates after Tuesday's loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Chad Ruhwedel said they were caught off guard.
"It was just eye-opening for all of us. It's scary stuff. Very serious. And we're just glad that he's doing well right now and continuing to progress," said Ruhwedel, a veteran defender who should take on a regular role while Letang is out.
Ruhwedel added it was reassuring that Letang delivered the news in person.
"It was definitely important to see him there, to remove some doubt," he said.
Pierre-Olivier Joseph, who is currently living with Letang, said the news was tough to hear. But he said players feel some relief seeing how well he is doing.
"We all wish him the best for the recovery and we're all there to support him," the rookie defenseman said. "There's some stuff bigger than hockey, and that was definitely one of them. We're all really happy with how he is right now."
Added Ryan Poehling: "You just hope and pray that he's all right and that his family is doing well. That's all that we can do for that and just wish him the best."
Poehling, a forward, said the Penguins will use Letang as additional motivation to try to win Thursday's game against the Vegas Golden Knights at PPG Paints Arena. Pittsburgh has lost two games in a row heading into Thursday night.
"Yeah, 100 percent," he said. "I think we've been playing some good hockey. The last couple of games, maybe not playing a full 60 minutes. So I think that's a big part of tonight. I think we have a great test with Vegas. They're a great team."
