Letang misses Winter Classic because his father has died

Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman, was unable to attend Monday’s 2023 NHL Winter Classic because he wanted to be with his loved ones after the passing his father.

Letang—who had returned to the club for less than a month since suffering a stroke in late November—left Boston Monday morning to be with his family in Montreal.

“We want to express our sincere and deepest sympathy for him during this time,” said Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan.

Pittsburgh lost the Winter Classic 2-1 against the Boston Bruins before a packed Fenway Park.

The three-time Stanley Cup champion is back in action after missing time and struggling with injuries. He has scored 16 points in 29 games this season. Because of a lower-body injury, he was not expected to be there Monday.

After recovering from the stroke — the second of his career — the 35-year-old put things into perspective with a wife and two kids at home.

“My kids don’t care if my dad is a hockey player.” They care if they have a dad,” said Letang following his return to the ice Ten days after his stroke, he was still alive. “Same thing with my wife. She cares less about everything and hockey than she does about it. She knows that there is so much more.

Fouquet worked as an 18-wheeler truck salesman and—along with Letang’s mother Christiane —instilled a love of sport early on that would take him all the way to the NHL. Montreal-born blueliner Fouquet reminisces fondly about how his father bought him the jersey of his favorite player.

Pavel Bure was my favorite player growing up.” Letang told NHL.com in 2020. He was a joy to watch. My dad bought me a Bure jersey when he was in Florida for work.

There are no other details about the events surrounding Fouquet’s passing or a timetable for Letang’s return to the Penguins.

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