Kris Letang: Heir Apparent?

Prior to the 2005 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins were the consistent bottom-feeders of the NHL, finishing at the bottom of the standings for three straight years. With the drafting of Marc-Andre Fleury (2003), Evgeni Malkin (2004), and Sidney Crosby (2005), the Pens had their backbone rebuilt. But during that time, they also drafted character players, guys who could offer support and skill to a rebuilding roster. One of those guys was a young French Canadian defenseman named Kris Letang. Over the past three seasons, Penguins fans have been able to watch offensive defenseman Letang develop into a top four defender. Letang, a Montreal native, was drafted by the Pens in the third round of the 2005 Draft, 82nd overall. As expected, Crosby immediately jumped into the league, notching 102 points his rookie year. Letang, however, continued working on his game in the QMJHL with Val-d'Or. He put up 68 points in 60 games and was one of the highest scoring defenders in the league that yea...