PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pens Kris Letang wins NHL award that is more than just about performance on the ice. The 36-year-old defenseman named the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy winner on Monday.
The award is voted on by the hockey writers and is presented to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
On the ice, Letang finished with 41 points including 12 goals in 64 games. He did so returning from the second stroke in his life, this loss of his father and a lower body injury. Over the last few years Letang has persisted through not just multiple strokes, but multiple concussions, a broken toe, broken foot, broken hand, knee and groin injuries along with other unspecified upper and lower-body injuries.
“I’m the most proud because I’m a father and the kids are going to see this at the house and know their father never gave up in anything,” Letang said at the NHL Awards Show on TNT. “This is our family trophy.”
Letang thanked his doctors and staff in Pittsburgh and also his wife.
“I still don’t know how you do it. It’s pretty amazing that you still let me go back to work and let me go back to work and do what I love to do on the ice,” Letang said on TNT during the NHL Awards Show. “I’m truly thankful for that. With the stress and everything that is happening in our lives every single year, for some reason. You still raise two beautiful kids and I’m thankful for that. Love you.”
Letang has played 1,005 games in 17 NHL seasons with 156 goals and 535 points. He is the third Penguin to ever win the award joining Mario Lemieux (1993) and Lowell MacDonald (1973).