Kris Letang looks like he belongs on the cover of a magazine.
The world-class athlete is tall, dark and handsome, with the Montreal native exuding sophistication and swagger. "He's got like, good style, long hair," Evgeni Malkin said.
But don't judge that magazine by its cover.
1KRIS: Letang's Work Ethic and Strength of Character Define Legacy
Letang, who came from modest roots, has worked incredibly hard to become Pittsburgh's franchise defenseman and a three-time Stanley Cup Champion, with the same sort of insatiable appetite to be at the top of his game that's possessed by his friend and captain, Sidney Crosby.
"I think he sets the bar really high; he sets the standard high as far as how he approaches things," Crosby said. "The way he trains, his commitment to getting better at his age, still being the last guy out on the ice every day… I think he's a great example."
Letang is a graceful and effortless skater with tremendous offensive ability. But what impressed the scouts who drafted him, and amazes the guys who have played alongside him, is the grit and toughness to his game. Not only does he play a lot of minutes - they're hard minutes. Simply put, he's a warrior.
"Everybody knows how skilled he is and how fast and everything, but I think nobody knows how hard he plays, too," former teammate Marc-Andre Fleury said. "He never backs down from a hit in the corner, doesn't shy away to get hit to make a play. He blocks shots, battles with guys, battles with bigger guys."
Letang has also persevered through more hardship than anyone should have to face, experiencing some major health scares, like having a stroke at age 26 and another one at age 35, in addition to serious injuries.
"He has lots of injuries, but he's always back, and always back strong," Malkin said.
He's dealt with so much loss and grief, from losing his best friend Luc Bourdon, his junior teammate, in a motorcycle accident during the 2008 Stanley Cup Final, to his father Claude passing away in January.
The resilience he's showed through all of it to become, and remain, the elite player and amazing person he is today - that strength of character is what truly defines his legacy as a Penguin, as Letang appears in his 1,000th game … joining Crosby and Malkin as the only players in franchise history to skate in 1,000 games with Pittsburgh.
"I never thought I would get there," admitted Letang. "You just dream of playing in the NHL as a kid. And as your career goes on, there's different things that go through your mind. Obviously, on the injury side, it was not fortunate. So at one point, I was kind of doubting that it would happen one day. But as you get closer, you see the two guys that you've played your entire career with - they get there and they had their fair share of injuries, too. So, I'm pretty excited. It's something I never thought I would do in my life."
Letang has gone from a third-round draft pick and someone who was much more under the radar, to part of the core leadership trio - also known as the Big Three - alongside Crosby and Malkin… being the perfect complement to those two in terms of what he brings.
"I think Kris has really provided something different than the guys that get all the points all the time with Sid and Geno," said Penguins assistant coach Todd Reirden, who's been an important mentor for Letang. "A guy that plays defense, but yet has still really set the standard for how we evaluate our players. Not necessarily with on-ice performance, but more with the things he does in terms of his training and his commitment to get better. So that's what's made him a Penguin, and I think he's driven by that."
Letang's longtime trainer Jon Chaimberg has worked with the blueliner for over a decade, and said it's rare to find athletes like him who have such incredible endurance to go along with exceptional strength, power and explosiveness. That's helped him average 25-plus minutes a night for most seasons of his career, even to this day, at age 35.
But what makes Kris truly special, is his work ethic.
"You know, a lot of people say, 'oh, he's the hardest worker in the room' about somebody. Kris is actually the hardest worker in the room. Always," Chaimberg said. "People don't understand what it's like to play that many minutes a night for that many years, and the style of play, it's a very aggressive style for his size. He's not a massive defenseman."
During the summers, Letang and Chaimberg put a lot of time into stretching and mobility, incorporating more therapies and treatments into his routine as he gets older. But as far as the workouts themselves, they just keep increasing the intensity.
"That guy's a machine," said former Penguin David Perron, who's good buddies with Letang. "I work out a lot, but he'll go twice a day some days. I remember even this summer, he was back in the gym like, days after the season was over. I was like, do you not just want to rest for a couple of weeks? But it's not him. It's not how he's built. He's always invested in what he does, and that's why he's (at 1,000 games) now."
During the seasons, his teammates will watch the way he prepares himself, with Brian Dumoulin saying that guys pay attention and see how Letang warms up and takes care of his body. It also doesn't go unnoticed how long he stays out after practices to work on things.
"We've got to drag him off the ice every day, it seems," Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said with a smile. "He's not a guy that doesn't walk the walk himself. He's willing to put the work in to improve his game and get better. I think for me, that's the most powerful way that players lead."
And it's all for one reason.
"If your coach has confidence to put you on the ice that much during a game, that means that's the recipe that he wants to use to win. And that's what I want to do. I want to win," Letang said. "I want to be a big part of it."
In addition to his drive, Letang also just has so much passion for what he does. He feels fortunate that he truly enjoys going to the gym, coming to the rink and putting in the work. That's why he's never let any of the adversity he's faced derail him.
"He could have been shutting it down with the injuries that have happened to him. That speaks volumes to how he loves the game and he wants to play and he wants to be here," former teammate Max Talbot said. "It's a privilege for the organization to have him in their culture and their team."
This year has been the consummate example of that. It must be noted that what Letang has gone through over these past few months cannot be neatly summarized in a few sentences, or a few paragraphs. That doesn't come close to doing it justice.
But as Kris acknowledged, 'stroke' is a scary word, and experiencing a second one at such a young age was a lot to handle, particularly for his loved ones. For as much as Kris loves the sport, his wife Catherine and their kids Alex and Victoria don't care if he's a hockey player or not - they care about Kris the family man. Fortunately, he was cleared to return in December, always keeping his overall health as the top priority.
A few weeks later, Letang returned home to Montreal after his dad's passing. It was an emotional time for Kris, who said it helped to get out there and try to do what he loves to do after rejoining the team in January. In his first game back, Letang scored two goals - including the overtime winner - as part of a four-point night against the Panthers … which isn't the first time Reirden has seen him come up big for his team while dealing with personal issues that no one will ever know about.
"Most people would kind of crumble or take a step back or not be performing as well. You can see him and he has such a high character level, such a high care level, that he's still coming to the rink and he's still doing awesome here and playing great for us and doing some incredible things," Rust said. "So, it's been very impressive how he's been able to kind of balance the things that have happened off the ice with being able to come here, do his job, and be a great hockey player."
And be a great teammate, as well.
"He's a good friend. I think he's a great father, great dad with his kids. He's stayed here 17 years, he does lots of things for the team, for young guys, and we all love him," Malkin said. "This year has been really tough for him, but we try to support, and we see he's back, like a couple OT goals. I like when he smiles, for sure."
When Letang was sidelined for the 2017 championship run after undergoing major neck surgery just before his 30th birthday to repair a herniated disc, he remained a positive presence around the guys, doing his best to keep things light during an intense time … to the point where he read the starting lineup wearing only a jockstrap during the Final.
Because that's the thing with Kris - even though he might appear quiet and serious, he really doesn't take himself too seriously. And even if he did, his teammates wouldn't let him.
"He's a great guy to be around, good to mess with. He's just a treat to have in the locker room," Chad Ruhwedel said.
Yes, Letang loves fashion, and is able to pull off pretty much anything, from casual wear to higher-end clothing. "He likes to dress well. I like to ask him about style. He always has nice suits and stuff, but even everyday stuff, he was always on top of things," Fleury said.
He loves a good meal, coming a long way from the tuna melts he would order from a local deli when he and Crosby would get lunch in the city. "He always knows the new spots in Pittsburgh, or even on the road sometimes," continued Fleury, with Kris often frequenting eateries in the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group due to his friendship with DeShantz and Tolga Sedvik, his co-owner and Chief Operating Officer, that dates back to his early days in Pittsburgh living Downtown.
Letang also loves shopping, collecting watches, and cars. But the guys don't really give Letang a hard time for his tastes, apart from the usual good-natured chirps, and leaving fish(ing for compliments) emojis in the comment sections of his posts. Instead, Malkin will give him a hard time for cheating in the card game they play on the plane, or Dumoulin will give him a hard time for how Letang will argue "to the death of him."
"He's not afraid to get into a debate, I'll tell you that," Dumoulin said with a laugh. "Whether it's right or wrong, whether it matters or it's indifferent. I think in a second life, he'd be a great lawyer. I think it's because he's so competitive."
Dumoulin said Letang is also pretty active in the team group chat, always posting funny videos.
"I send stuff, try to get reaction from guys," Letang smiled with a shrug. "I try to keep the boys laughing."
Tanger has been keeping Sid laughing for 17 years. When they first came into the league together, Crosby said they were probably the last two guys to leave the rink every day. "Just sitting in the training room, just constantly talking about hockey or life or that sort of thing," Crosby said. "Being together as much as we are as teammates, and especially with him - I think you spend that much time together, you get pretty close."
It's clear how much Letang means to Crosby, who cherishes all of that camaraderie off the ice. And from an on-ice standpoint, Sid marvels at the minutes and role Tanger plays, saying that 1,000 probably feels more like 1,500 having to deal with him and Geno. He's so proud of who Letang has become, having been alongside him for the entire ride.
"He's good to people. He treats people with respect," Crosby said. "The way he handles what he does, and also the person he is, I think is what stands out the most."
At the end of the day, Letang is a kid from a working-class background, who didn't grow up with a lot of money, has earned everything he's gotten, and feels grateful for the opportunities he's gotten here in Pittsburgh - a city he loves dearly.
"The thing is, for me, the Penguins gave me my chance. I've always said it, (Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle) took care of me like a son," Letang said after signing a six-year contract extension in the summer that will keep him here for well past 1,000 games. "Now we have a new ownership with Fenway Sports Group, but they've always treated me like I was one of their own. And when you have that feeling, sometimes it's just natural. You want to finish there. The memories that we've built as a team, it's just incredible that I have the chance to stay with that team."
