Penguins/NHL
The Penguins are being cautious with goaltender Marc Andre Fleury who suffered his first concussion almost two weeks ago. When it comes to their top defenseman who has had multiple concussions and is owed over $43 million the next six seasons, being cautious with Kris Letang for one game was enough to satisfy everyone.
Letang admitted today he had “hard headaches” following the hit he took from Jarret Stoll Saturday night. Yet Letang is a go tonight vs the Maple Leafs after passing the concussion protocol and Letang telling doctors he feels healthy enough to play.
It never hurts to be safe and the Penguins should be sitting Letang the next two nights just to make sure everything is okay. It hasn’t even been five days since the hit.
Here’s what Letang had to say about the symptoms he suffered.[hide]
Reporter: Do you feel healthy enough to play tonight?
Letang: “Yeah, I mean that’s what I told the doctors.”
Reporter: Did you have any concerns given your history of concussions?
Letang: Yeah, I got dinged pretty hard there. It took me a little of a moment to get back to my senses and I was fine after that.
Reporter: What symptoms did you experience?
Letang: “Headaches, hard headaches as soon as I got hit. Then it went away.”
MURRAY HOPES TO STAY WHEN FLEURY RETURNS
21 year old netminder Matthew Murray makes his fourth start tonight and possibly his last start for the next while at the NHL with Jeff Zatkoff scheduled to start tomorrow night vs Detroit and Marc Andre Fleury a possibility to return this weekend.
Murray is 2-1 with a 1.68 GAA and .934 save percentage is three starts.
The consensus in the organization is Murray needs to play, he will be sent down once Fleury is healthy, but the 21 year old hopes to stay up with the club when Fleury returns.
“Hasn’t really been spelled out to me,” said Murray after the morning skate. “Not something I can worry about, out of my control. Obviously things will change when he [Marc Andre Fleury] comes back. What happens is not my decision. Whatever it is, I have to roll with it.
Murray feels he’s shown so far he can play at this level.
“Yeah I think so,” said Murray. “Always ways I can be better. Came up here trying to prove I can play in this league and I think I’ve gone partial way to do that.”[/hide]
One of Shero’s worst contracts. Dude can’t run a power play, can’t hit the net and is constantly hurt. Yeah he is worth $7.25 a year. They wonder why they suck.
Guy looked fine last night shooting the puck a lot and hitting the net. Minimal net front presence tho. I often wonder how much he feels the need to defer to Sid and Geno on the PP. End of the day we have got Norris caliber hockey from the guy for a few years. While the contract at points has looked solid and others have looked terrible I think the injury issue is the most legit gripe about the issue behind that deal.
To be clear I would not object to exploring other options, both on the PP and in general. I love Letang but he cannot stay healthy enough to be effective over the course of the year and there are the PP questions.