Penguins’ Kris Letang plays in 1,200th NHL game

Letang is now the seventh defenseman in NHL history to play in 1,200 games with one team.

Heading into Thursday’s game, Letang had two goals and 17 assists for 19 points in 38 games. Now in his 20th NHL season, Letang had 177 goals and 614 assists for 791 points in his previous 1,199 career regular-season games.

He has also played in 149 Stanley Cup Playoff games, where he’s scored 23 goals and 67 assists for 90 points, helping the Penguins win three Stanley Cup championships in 2009, 2016 and 2017.

Letang, taken in the third round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, has hit the 50-point mark seven times in his career, as well as seven 40-assist campaigns. He is the Penguins’ all-time leader in goals, assists and points for a defenseman. He won the Bill Masterton Trophy in 2023.

Before turning professional, Letang spent three seasons in the QMJHL with Val d’Or Foreurs. In 170 regular-season games, Leland scored 52 goals and 100 assists for 152 points. The right-handed defender broke the point-per-game mark twice, recording 68 just in 60 games in 2005-06, as well as 52 points in 40 games in 2006-07.

Before Thursday’s game, the Penguins were 17-12-9 with 43 points in their first 38 games. They are sixth in the Metropolitan Division and three points back of a wild-card spot. Sidney Crosby leads the team in goals and points with 21 and 40, respectively. Defenseman Erik Karlsson leads in assists with 25.