Penguins defenseman Kris Letang wins Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Above all else, it was a family night for Kris Letang and company.
He walked the red carpet outside of Bridgestone Arena before the NHL’s awards ceremony looking dapper as always, dressed in a tuxedo that presumably had at least one comma on the price tag when he purchased it from a Montreal haberdasher.
Alongside were son, Alex, in a casual beige suit, daughter, Victoria, in a billowy blue sundress and wife, Catherine Laflamme, looking stunning in black.
(Alex even autographed a replica of his father’s jersey after being asked by a fan wearing it.)
Letang was here for — and because of — his family.
That was a major reason he earned the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy on Monday evening. The honor is presented by the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) and recognizes the player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”
Letang’s perseverance was tested far too often during the 2022-23 season.
In November, he was felled by the second stroke of his career but missed a mere five games as a result of that ailment.
His mettle was tested further by the end of December when his father, Claude Fouquet, died on New Year’s Eve.
Letang, already sidelined because of a foot injury, took a leave of absence for most of January to attend to his family and heal physically and emotionally.
“Emotionally, it was really hard,” Letang said. “At some times, the mind wasn’t there. You don’t want to come to the rink and show those emotions.
“With everything that happened with my family, it’s something you can’t really put to the side. It’s always going to be there. But you have to be able to navigate through life with that and keep your focus on the things you have to do.”
For Letang, winning the Masterton was a group effort.
“It’s an award that I see more as a team, as a family,” Letang said after walking the red carpet Monday. “My wife being supportive of me with those types of injuries. She always supported me to go back to do what I love to do. It takes a lot of courage. I see it more as a team and family award.”
An extended member of Letang’s family presented Letang onstage.
“He means the world to me,” said Penguins defenseman P.O Joseph, a fellow Quebecois who labeled Letang as a brother. “I looked up to him for the last (several) years, since I (was) a kid basically. It’s not easy to go out there and speak to people (on stage). But for him, I would do anything.”
Previously, forwards Mario Lemieux (1993) and Lowell MacDonald (1973) were the only members of the Penguins to win the award.
The honor often gets misconstrued as a “comeback” award, and players who win it are expected to have overcome some kind of strife in order to qualify for it.
Letang certainly has surmounted ample impediments in his career. Before his difficult 2022-23 season, Letang suffered a more serious stroke in 2014 and had his 2016-17 season come to a premature end to because of a herniated disc in his neck.
But his dedication to the business of being a hockey player has allowed him to still be a top defenseman 17 years into his career at the age of 36.
In addition to an obsessive workout regimen, Letang has made a late-career investment into osteopathy to prevent soft tissue injuries.
“Even last year, after the season, he basically didn’t take a day off,” Joseph said. “I was like, ‘You’re getting to a point where you need little time for yourself, your family, and stuff.’ His answer was, ‘No, you can always be better and you can always improve on yourself.’
“I didn’t want to take a break after this (past) season. I wanted to be like Kris. I wanted to improve my strength. So, I’ve got to do exactly like him. It just shows exactly how a professional athlete needs to be. He’s the perfect example.”
For the first time in Letang’s career, the Penguins did not participate in the Stanley Cup playoffs this past spring. After the team’s regular-season finale April 13, Letang indicated he would be taking some time off from hockey to clear his head after such a trying handful of months.
“I went back home,” said Letang, a native of Montreal. “We had family time. Obviously, in the summer, we stay in shape, but, at the same time, we can actually enjoy some vacation and family time. Get my head away from hockey for a little bit.
“It’s going to be back to business as usual next season.”
Presumably, that will be a family-wide endeavor much like the award he collected Monday.
“They’ve been part of some events,” Letang said. “But to have all four of us together, especially for an award that kind of represents the family and everything we go through together, it’s special.”
Other awards
Joseph and forward Sidney Crosby were the only other members of the Penguins who received votes for awards.
• Crosby finished tied for 18th in balloting for the Hart Memorial Trophy which recognizes the NHL’s most valuable player to his team. He received a third-place and a fourth-place vote, totaling four points.
• Crosby garnered a 12-place finish for the Frank J. Selke Trophy which goes to the league’s best defensive forward. He received one third-place vote, four fourth-place votes and four fifth-place votes totalling 23 points.
• The Penguins’ captain was the lone member of the team to receive a vote for the league’s postseason All-Star teams. He finished in 11th place with a single third-place vote.
•Joseph finished 13th in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy which recognizes the league’s top rookie. He received a single fifth-place vote.
• With the All-Rookie team, Joseph finished third among defensemen with 11 points (one point per vote).
Source: TribLIVE
