Kris Letang is going to be out indefinitely after suffering a stroke on Monday, the Penguins announced on Wednesday.
The team stated that the 35-year-old is "not experiencing any lasting effects of the stroke and will continue to undergo a series of tests over the next week." It is not expected to end his career.
"Kris reported symptoms to the training staff on Monday and was immediately taken to the hospital for testing," Hextall said in the Penguins' press release. "The test results were shocking to hear, but we are grateful that Kris is doing well. We are thankful to the medical staff and the physicians at UPMC.
He is a warrior on the ice, but first and foremost, he is a son, father, husband and friend. His health is our number one priority.
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Kris Letang health update
The long-time defenseman for the team was a late scratch for Pittsburgh's Tuesday night contest against the Hurricanes and was listed as out due to an illness.
"I am fortunate to know my body well enough to recognize when something isn't right," Letang said in the team's statement. "While it is difficult to navigate this issue publicly, I am hopeful it can raise awareness. It is important for me that my teammates, family and the fans know that I am okay. I am optimistic that I will be back on the ice soon."
According to GM Ron Hextall, when Penguins coach Mike Sullivan went to tell the team of Letang's status, the defenseman was with him in the locker room.
"When Sully came into the locker room last night to let the team know, Kris came into the room," Hextall said. "He wants to assure everybody that he's doing as well as possible ... Thus far, everything is looking as positive as it could be."
Hextall stated that the team will not be commenting further with any updates until all of Letang's testing is complete.
"We will do as many tests as we need to do," Hextall said. "First and foremost, this is about the person, the father, and the family member. The hockey player and Pittsburgh Penguin is secondary. He's a terrific human being and one tough SOB."
Kris Letang health history
This is not the first time that Letang has suffered a stroke. Back in January of 2014, he had a stroke that sidelined him for over two months during the 2014-15 season.
Since then, he has played in 543 regular-season games and has made 69 playoff appearances for Pittsburgh. It should serve as a good sign that he was able to recover from the 2014 episode, Hextall added that the stroke he suffered Monday is "much less severe" than his previous one.
"I'm shocked at how well he's doing emotionally and how well he seems to be taking it," Hextall said. "This is much less severe than what happened eight years ago. There's a lot of comfort in that."