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The Pittsburgh Penguins sent out an ominous email this morning, with a terse statement: "General manager Ray Shero will make an announcement regarding the Penguins’ roster today at 10:15 a.m. outside of the Penguins locker room at CONSOL Energy Center."
According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, it will be good news.
"@JoshYohe_Trib: Ray Shero to speak at 10:15 about "Penguins roster."" Expected he will announce Kris Letang will return to lineup tonight.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) April 9, 2014
It would be an amazing return from a player that had a stroke in January and has been practicing with the team since March 17th.
With three more games in the regular season, a return now would give a little time prior to the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs. And Letang's return would coincide with the health of Brooks Orpik, Paul Martin, Matt Niskanen, Olli Maatta and Rob Scuderi, giving Pittsburgh their first real period of having all top six defensemen healthy at the same time.
Right in time for the most important part of the season.
Excitement aside, the thoughts turn to hope Letang is ready for this. He has been cleared by doctors for a while now, but recently told Joe Starkey "I can be really dizzy," he said. "Sometimes I have trouble walking, like, in a straight line. … I have some vision things. Lights would bother me, stuff like that."
All of that, presumably, would be well in the past for this return to happen. So congrats to Kris and we'll all be excited to see him back out there. Go Pens.
Update: it's confirmed, Letang will play tonight vs. the Red Wings.
#Pens Shero: Hockey didn't cause this stroke. He's at no further risk to suffer a stroke playing hockey than going to grocery store.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 9, 2014
#Pens GM Shero: Kris was cleared by doctors & it was his choice on when to return. He's been bugging me for a while to play.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 9, 2014