Penguins' Sullivan: Letang benefits from simplified game

Kris Letang is a star defenseman, but some tweaks to his game could make him a superstar.

The oft-injured Pittsburgh Penguins blue-liner is an elite puck mover, but his knack of running the risky play comes a little too often, says coach Mike Sullivan.

"We would like him to recognize those situations when he might have to use the glass and make a simple play and not put himself in vulnerable situations," Sullivan told Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "He's a courageous kid. He's brave. That's part of what makes him as good as he is. And there's going to be opportunities where he's going to have to take hits for us to make plays. We don't want him to change that aspect of his game."

In other words, sometimes it's better for Letang to make the more calculated decision, to chip-and-chase, rather than making a sacrificial play. Minimizing his contact with opponents would be an added bonus as well, after Letang was limited to 41 games last season.

Neck surgery then sidelined Letang for the Penguins' entire Stanley Cup run.

"We're trying to help him recognize those situations," Sullivan added. "I hope, with the amount of time he missed last year and watching the playoffs from the press box, spending some time with (coach) Sergei Gonchar in the press box, that it gives him a whole different vantage point as far as how he sees the game.

"I hope that experience serves him well. I think it will. We've talked about it, and we'll continue to talk about it. Obviously we want to keep him on the ice as often as we can."

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