Letang’s feats in the gym are impressive enough. Factor in that Letang began the offseason by undergoing successful closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO; small hole in the heart) back in April, and they’re even more remarkable.
Letang was given a recovery time of 4-6 weeks after the procedure, which has been on the radar for about a decade. Back in 2014, Letang missed over two months due to a stroke. During that time period, testing revealed he was born with the PFO. Although the small defect in the wall is apparent in all individuals, it typically closes on its own in most people.
After Letang suffered a second stroke in 2022, Penguins head team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas said the PFO could have created both of them. The decision was made to rectify it.
“Even the first time I had the stroke, it was something that was brought on the table, but it didn’t have as much research behind it, or as it better to do that than keeping on, staying on the medicine,” Letang. “So, when this second one happened, it became more secure to actually do it. I’ve done some research, talked to some doctors, and we decided to do it.”
Letang was around UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex a day after the surgery, and remained in Pittsburgh for about a week before returning home to Quebec. There, he was reunited with fellow Montreal native Boko Imama, who re-signed with Pittsburgh in June. Imama used to train with Letang at Chaimberg’s space before going elsewhere.
“We were talking during the year that he should come back and I think it’s good spot for Boko, especially the way he trains,” Letang said. “He’ll lift big weights, but we spend a lot of time on quickness and explosiveness and stuff like that. So, it’s fun to have a guy that has that attitude, fun to get in the gym, put the work in. It’s not a pain in the ass to go into the gym. He loves it. So, it’s fun to have a partner like that.”