Veteran Penguins Defenseman Can't Be Part of the Solution in Pittsburgh

Kris Letang's legacy with the Pittsburgh Penguins cannot be denied: three Stanley Cup wins, innumerable clutch games, and seasons as the franchise's premier defender.

If Kyle Dubas wants to make one final proper push at the Stanley Cup with Sidney Crosby, though, Letang is the one player he has to deal away.

Now 37, Letang is not the dynamic player he once was. Although still a solid contributor, his defensive problems and declining offense make him more of an issue than a solution.

With both Letang and Erik Karlsson on the blue line, Pittsburgh should be dominating offensively from the back end, but that has not been the case. Worse, neither provides the defensive stability the Penguins so desperately need.

Letang remains a commodity to be traded because of his name value and past success. His name continues to be that of an elite offensive defenseman in the eyes of many teams despite evidence to the contrary.

He has eight goals, 13 assists, and nine power-play points in 52 games so far this season, numbers that don't justify his role or cap hit. Where Letang's numbers have really dropped off this year is his plus/minus, where he is a -16.

He was once known for always being on the positive side of things, yet another reminder that his defensive reliability days in Pittsburgh are all but over.

The Penguins have been reluctant to exchange their old core, but nostalgia is not going to bring home another Cup.

If Dubas wishes to maximize Crosby's later years, trading Letang is the decision that needs to be made. Holding on to the past will not repair the present.