Kristopher Letang Kristopher Allen Letang ( born April 24 , 1987 ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . He played junior in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League ( QMJHL ) for three seasons , during which time he was selected 62nd overall by the Penguins in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft . In his second full NHL season , Letang won the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh . Internationally , he has competed for Canada at the under - 18 and under - 20 levels , winning back - to - back gold medals at the World Junior Championships in 2006 and 2007 . Playing career . Letang played major junior for the Val - d ' Or Foreurs of the QMJHL for three seasons . After recording 32 points in his junior rookie season , he was named to the QMJHL and the CHL All - Rookie Team . That summer , he was drafted in the 3rd round , 62nd overall , in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins . The next season , a 68 - point effort in just 60 games earned him QMJHL First Team All - Star honours . Making the Penguins out of training camp , Letang made his NHL debut in the 2006 – 07 season . He scored his first NHL goal in his third game , against Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers in a 6 - 5 win . However , after two goals in seven games , Letang was scratched twice and then returned to Val - d ' Or for further development . Playing in his third season with Val - d ' Or , Letang led the Foreurs to the 2007 QMJHL Finals with 31 points in the post - season , only to be swept by Lewiston in four games . Upon the Foreurs ' elimination , he was assigned to the Wilkes - Barre / Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League ( AHL ) , who was in the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs , and recorded an assist in his only game . At the season ' s end , he was the recipient of three major QMJHL awards . In addition to receiving the Emile Bouchard Trophy , as the best defenceman , and the Paul Dumont Trophy , as the best personality , Letang also received the Kevin Lowe Trophy , as the best defensive defenceman , indicative of Letang ' s abilities on both ends of the ice . After beginning the 2007 – 08 season in Wilkes - Barre / Scranton , Letang was quickly recalled by Pittsburgh after recording 7 points in 10 games in the minors . Letang excelled in his rookie season with Pittsburgh , and was invited to the 2008 NHL YoungStars Game during All - Star weekend along with teammate Tyler Kennedy . He completed the season with 17 points in 63 games , sixth among rookie defencemen . Making his NHL playoff debut , Letang helped the Penguins to the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals where they were defeated in six games by the Detroit Red Wings . Going into the 2008 – 09 season , the Penguins ' top two defencemen , Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney were both put on the long - term injured reserve , immediately increasing Letang ' s responsibilities on the team ' s blueline . He was placed on the Penguins top defensive pairing with Brooks Orpik , replacing Gonchar . The increased playing time resulted in a 10 - goal , 33 - point season , leading all team defencemen . During the season , Letang was also invited to his second NHL YoungStars Game during the 2009 All - Star weekend in his hometown of Montreal , playing for the Sophomores team . After the Penguins eliminated the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round , Letang scored his first career NHL playoff goal in game three of the second round against the Washington Capitals on May 6 , 2009 , in overtime . Letang ' s playing status for the game had been uncertain due to a suspected shoulder injury resulting from a Mike Green hit received in game three . Nevertheless , his game winning goal cut the Capitals ' series lead to 2 – 1 , helping Pittsburgh overcome the initial 2 – 0 series deficit and win in seven games . Advancing to the Finals , they met the Red Wings for the second consecutive year . Letang scored one goal in the series , in Game 3 , helping the Penguins defeat the Red Wings in seven games . They won the Stanley Cup on June 12 , 2009 , winning the deciding game 2 - 1 at Joe Louis Arena . Letang finished the post - season with 4 goals and 13 points over 23 games . The following season , Letang recorded a career - low 3 goals to go with 24 assists . Late in the regular season , Letang signed a four - year contract extension through to the 2013 – 14 season on March 30 , 2010 , worth an annual $ 3 . 5 million . Going into the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs as defending champions , the Penguins were eliminated in the second round by the Montreal Canadiens . Letang surpassed his regular season goals total with five tallies in 13 post - season games , along with 2 assists for 7 points . With the departure of the Penguins ' top defenceman , Sergei Gonchar , the following summer , Letang assumed a larger role with the club in 2010 – 11 . Enjoying a career year , he was voted in as a starter for the 2011 NHL All - Star Game in Raleigh , North Carolina . With a career - high 50 points ( 8 goals and 42 assists ) , Letang finished the season as the second - highest scorer for the Penguins , behind Sidney Crosby . His efforts helped the Penguins to the fourth - best record in the league with 49 wins and 106 points despite long - term injuries to the team ' s top three centres – Crosby , Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal . Matcing up against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round , Pittsburgh lost the series in seven games ; Letang had four assists . International play . Letang debuted internationally for Team Canada in his junior rookie season during the 2005 World U18 Championships in the Czech Republic . Letang scored 4 points in 6 games in a silver medal effort , losing to the United States in the final . The next two years , Letang competed in the World Junior Championships , earning gold in 2006 and 2007 , as part of a five - year Canadian championship run . He won the first gold medal with Team Canada in Vancouver as the host country , then returned the next year in Sweden to score 6 points in 6 games as team captain . Letang was named to the tournament All - Star Team , along with national teammates Carey Price and Jonathan Toews . Personal life . Letang lost one of his closest friends , Luc Bourdon , who was a defenceman for the Vancouver Canucks , in a motorcycle accident on May 29 , 2008 . Letang was at the time playing in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals against the Detroit Red Wings . He and Bourdon had been teammates in junior with the Val - d ' Or Foreurs and the Canadian junior team . He had been planning on buying a motorcycle but decided against it following the death of Bourdon . Awards . Major Junior NHL International