Insider on Penguins’ Star D-Man ‘Dubas Would Trade Him in a Heartbeat’

A recent social media post by Josh Yohe has sparked debate among fans about veteran defenseman Kris Letang’s play and impact on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Many are suggesting it’s time to move on, hoping that GM Kyle Dubas will find a way to shed Letang’s contract over the summer. However, that doesn’t seem likely.

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Yohe, a longtime Penguins beat reporter, offered up a blunt assessment of Letang’s current performance. In the tweet, Yohe wrote:

“I hate to keep harping on him because I have the utmost respect for everything he’s overcome and accomplished in his career, but Kris Letang is a major problem for the Penguins right now. He’s making constant mistakes and no longer possesses the physical talent to overcome them. He once was a one-man breakout, but he’s 38, almost 39. Yet he keeps trying to play the game like he did when he was a younger man. Long-term, his contract is a problem. Short term, his play is a problem. The Penguins have other defensive issues and their blue line, other than Erik Karlsson, wasn’t particularly good tonight. But Letang’s mistakes are just so glaring.”

Ouch.

Fans Reacted to Yohe’s Post in a Big Way

The comment quickly generated strong reactions from fans, with many agreeing that Letang’s play has declined as he nears the end of his career. Several pointed out that the defenseman’s trademark high-risk style is becoming harder to justify. One response noted, “If this team is serious about contending in the next two years (which I think they are), Letang is not/cannot be on this team.”

“He’s always had issues with bad decisions,” another commenter wrote. “You also have to think if Dubas has the stones to let Malkin walk, could he buy out Letang if he can’t trade him? That would definitely end the feel-good Big Three tour,” said another. However, Yohe pointed out that because Letang is a 35-plus contract, it can’t be bought out. He then added that Letang is not about to retire as he’d be leaving $12.2 million on the table. “And he’s said that he doesn’t even want to retire after this contract ends.”

How Do the Penguins Move On from Letang?

The issue in Pittsburgh, should the organization agree with Yohe, is that there isn’t much they can do. Letang is one of the big-three names with the franchise, so moving him gets the same kind of reaction that John Carlson‘s trade out of Washington got. And, because Letang is injury-prone and his cap is too high, who will want that deal the way he’s currently playing? Yohe wrote, “You aren’t going to trade him because nobody wants him or that contract. Dubas would trade him in a heartbeat if he could, I have very little doubt.”

Might Yohe be overstating how bad Letang has been? Is this a player who deserves a bit more respect for all he’s brought the Penguins as a franchise? The reality is, the Penguins are in a playoff spot and few expected them to be when the season began. They’ve kept trucking along, even without Sidney Crosby in the lineup, and Letang has 27 points in 58 games.

Next: Why Matthew Knies’ Name Suddenly Appeared in Trade Rumours