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If it’s summer, it’s time for Kris Letang workout stories. Here’s a link to an interview with the French outlet TVA Sports.
And, for those of the non-Francophiles, here’s the google translate which gets like 80% I’m sure of the intended story across (with some edits of obvious words done here):
A month after the conquest of the Stanley Cup by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Kristopĥer Letang is not in festivities mode.
The 30-year-old defender has instead returned to training in order to be in optimal shape this fall, in view of the upcoming season.
"With what's happened this year, I'm focusing on my fitness," he said on Monday as part of the Celebrity Golf Tournament at Le Mirage Golf Club.
Letang has been kept out of the game for three months since he underwent surgery for a disc herniation at the neck. He had skated during the playoffs, but he was not yet ready to return to the game, even though "it was too dangerous" according to his words.
"I skated a bit, but I trained with the conditioning instructor every day with the same cadence."
In 41 games with the Penguins this season, the 30-year-old scored 34 points, including five goals. He participated in the conquests of the formation of Pennsylvania in 2009 and in 2016.
That last line was funny so I kept it in.
Letang posted a picture to his instagram 2 days ago of a pretty intense looking workout from a gym outside of his native Montreal.
Letang’s last game was February 21st, after which his herniated disc issue held him out. He attempted rest and rehab but on April 5th it was announced Letang would have to face surgery (which he got a week later) and would be out of game action 4-6 months, ending his season- but against all odds, not the Penguins’ season as they soldiered on without such an important player.
As mentioned above, Letang did take a couple of whirls around the ice in June, but as he also said, there was never any sort of realistic chance to return for the 2017 Stanley Cup Final (happening just 2 months post-surgery).
But, the Penguins do expect him back in time for the 2017-18 regular season, and all indications are showing a pretty active and so far successful summer training for noted workout warrior in Letang as he gears up for another return to the NHL lineup.