Ryan Wilson: Put some respect on Kris Letang's name Put some respect on Kris Letang's name

First!!

Quite the 'giddy' blog by RW... Political climate governed the way he writes? Regardless, This is a pretty cool statistic. I would like to see others on our team. I am very surprised we didn't get a comparison from Jack Johnson... How does Mathesons graph check out? Dumo?

Oh boy, more graphs.....I mean...woohoo!

I will never understand the heat Letang gets by people on this board. The biggest issue with him really his health and I think if he had a healthier career he'd be regarded differently by both the media and the fans.

Poulin with a pretty sick goal in camp...

https://twitter.com/TSNRy...tatus/1329110816222801925

I will never understand the heat Letang gets by people on this board. The biggest issue with him really his health and I think if he had a healthier career he'd be regarded differently by both the media and the fans.
- Rinosaur

I don't understand the Letang haters either. Yeah he makes some boneheaded plays every now and again, but he's the best defenseman the Pens have had since Paul Coffey. Imagine if they had him during the cup run without him.

LeTuRnOvEr

I don't understand the Letang haters either. Yeah he makes some boneheaded plays every now and again, but he's the best defenseman the Pens have had since Paul Coffey. Imagine if they had him during the cup run without him.
- 5on1Powerplay

He's not just the Pens' best dman since Coffey. He's one of the best there's been in his time and I'd argue one of the most consistent. I think many of his Norris runs were curtailed by injuries or he'd have been up for it a lot more.

LeTuRnOvEr
- Victoro311

I think most of those who call him out for that are the same who complain that Sheary falls down all the time.

About the only frustrating thing for me with Letang is his decisions to shoot or not shoot on the PP and it's a minor annoyance.

I think most of those who call him out for that are the same who complain that Sheary falls down all the time.

About the only frustrating thing for me with Letang is his decisions to shoot or not shoot on the PP and it's a minor annoyance.
- Rinosaur

I also don't like it when he decides to slash Viktor Stalberg in the face, but I haven't seen emotionally volatile Letang in a couple years.

I don't understand the Letang haters either. Yeah he makes some boneheaded plays every now and again, but he's the best defenseman the Pens have had since Paul Coffey. Imagine if they had him during the cup run without him.
- 5on1Powerplay

Not to mention every one of those Dmen makes the same boneheaded plays Pens fans get mad at Letang for.

Just going on points alone. Forget fancy stats for a moment.

Career Points Per Game:
Letang: .66
Doughty: .55
Pietrangelo: .59
Karlsson: .82
Carlson: .63
Burns: .62
Subban: .60
Keith: .54
Weber: .58

Again, I realize this is a simplistic way of looking at it, but it's still relevant. He's 2nd in PPG amongst those names.

I firmly believe if two or three more of the seasons he's played in his career were around 75-ish games played he would have won a Norris.

I'm not big on the 'fancy stats' so those numbers will do just fine. Its a tough call, but maybe only 3 or 4 guys on that list I'd take over Letang.

Just going on points alone. Forget fancy stats for a moment.

Career Points Per Game:
Letang: .66
Doughty: .55
Pietrangelo: .59
Karlsson: .82
Carlson: .63
Burns: .62
Subban: .60
Keith: .54
Weber: .58

Again, I realize this is a simplistic way of looking at it, but it's still relevant. He's 2nd in PPG amongst those names.

I firmly believe if two or three more of the seasons he's played in his career were around 75-ish games played he would have won a Norris.
- Rinosaur

There was one season where every stat dictated he should be the Norris front runner and then he had a stroke. Another season he was solidly top 3 but missed major time. Injuries really kept Letang from his peak, which is a real shame.

There was one season where every stat dictated he should be the Norris front runner and then he had a stroke. Another season he was solidly top 3 but missed major time. Injuries really kept Letang from his peak, which is a real shame.
- Victoro311

He would have definitely won the Norris that season. I've only seen a couple people/Pens fans on this board hating on Letang. Tiny minority.

He would have definitely won the Norris that season. I've only seen a couple people/Pens fans on this board hating on Letang. Tiny minority.
- madmike71

Yeah they're just silly loud. Even the people that want to trade him don't necessarily hate him. I think they're wrong, but actively thinking Letang isn't a great hockey player is a betrayal of not getting hockey.

There was one season where every stat dictated he should be the Norris front runner and then he had a stroke. Another season he was solidly top 3 but missed major time. Injuries really kept Letang from his peak, which is a real shame.
- Victoro311

Part of me wish they traded Letang just to see all the Anti-Tangers here see how bad we are without him.

Not to mention every one of those Dmen makes the same boneheaded plays Pens fans get mad at Letang for.
- j.boyd919

Agree. The high-risk, high reward plays look amazing when they work and stupid when they don't. D-men who jump into play are more prone to errors as well.

Just going on points alone. Forget fancy stats for a moment.

Career Points Per Game:
Letang: .66
Doughty: .55
Pietrangelo: .59
Karlsson: .82
Carlson: .63
Burns: .62
Subban: .60
Keith: .54
Weber: .58

Again, I realize this is a simplistic way of looking at it, but it's still relevant. He's 2nd in PPG amongst those names.

I firmly believe if two or three more of the seasons he's played in his career were around 75-ish games played he would have won a Norris.
- Rinosaur

Letang is awesome, but holy (frank) Karlsson!

Yeah they're just silly loud. Even the people that want to trade him don't necessarily hate him. I think they're wrong, but actively thinking Letang isn't a great hockey player is a betrayal of not getting hockey.
- Victoro311

Even trading Letang and bringing in Pietrangelo made no sense. We would have just had a higher cap hit on our defense. He brings great value.

Even trading Letang and bringing in Pietrangelo made no sense. We would have just had a higher cap hit on our defense. He brings great value.
- 668710

Agree with you 100%.

Even trading Letang and bringing in Pietrangelo made no sense. We would have just had a higher cap hit on our defense. He brings great value.
- 668710

Pietrangelo only makes $1.55M more so the salary would have little impact. Also, presumably trading Letang nets an asset. Signing FA Pietrangelo would have been a free asset. Given that Pietrangelo is 3+ years younger and less injury-prone, it makes a hell of a lot of sense to me.

Kris LeTurnover

Agree with you 100%.
- Victoro311

I was never for moving Letang even it was for Pietrangelo, but at points where it might have seemed inevitable that Letang would be moved, someone like Pietrangelo would be the only suitable replacement. People seemed to think the Pens could easily replace Letang and it's just not the case.

If you want to talk about closing the window, moving Letang and replacing him with anything less than someone on Pietrangelo's level would have sealed that window with thirty tons of cement and a few layers of asphalt on top of it.