Penguins Defenseman Kris Letang Shouldn't Get Norris Consideration

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang has been the subject of a debate from the beginning of his career.

As one of the better offensive rearguards in the league, Letang has made a name for himself on an international scale. However, the other facets of his game keep him from reaching the level of an elite National Hockey League defenseman.

Last night’s performance echoes the polarizing nature of Letang’s game.

While the 27-year-old opened the scoring for the Penguins in their 5-4 shootout victory over the Ottawa Senators on February 12, his defensive play nearly cost the Pittsburgh the win.

It started in the second period, when Letang took an avoidable hooking penalty with a 3-0 lead and proceeded to unleash a tirade on referee Ian Walsh. The penalty came 10 seconds after the Penguins finished killing off a Craig Adams tripping call.

The Senators scored their first goal of the game on the ensuing power play, which sparked a comeback that sent the game into extra time, off four Senators goals in the third period.

Pittsburgh has been the most penalized team in the league for a reason, and that is due to undisciplined play.

It starts with the leadership group and the way that they approach undisciplined penalties, with Letang directly in the middle of that group.

The leadership of the Montreal native comes into question when he is repeatedly seen arguing penalty calls and makes no effort to change the way he plays to avoid penalties. When committing these acts, he comes across as stubborn.

On this occasion, it almost led to the Penguins losing out on a point. Last week, he did the same thing in a 5-0 loss to the Vancouver Canucks and clearly lost focus on the task at hand. These characteristics are worrisome for a talent who plays 30 minutes per game.

However, the media have completely ignored these issues. His seemingly chronic problems have plagued the Pens for years, yet his offensive play is the only focus.

Earlier this week, CBS Sports suggested that Letang doesn’t get enough credit for his performance and should be considered for the 2014-15 Norris Trophy for his “exceptional” play.

These musings are completely unwarranted.

Letang’s defensive performance has been subpar from the beginning and doesn't show any signs of improvement. For examples, look no further than his decision-making against the Senators on Thursday.

Letang’s offensive play does contribute on the scoreboard. His one goal and one assist against the Senators also contributed to the win. However, Letang was also a direct contributor to Ottawa's scoring chances. On the eventual game-tying goal, Letang was on the ice—he and his defense partner Paul Martin failed to pick up Kyle Turris.

In overtime, Letang was on the ice again. On a badly timed pinch, he allowed the Senators to spring Turris on an offensive chance, which Penguins starting goaltender Thomas Greiss foiled.

Some give Letang a pass on these errors, citing his large workload of 30-plus minutes per game. What is not recognized is that Letang's offense-first style is detrimental to his team's chances of winning.

A fourth forward on the ice is beneficial at times, but there is no reason for Letang to be considered for a Norris Trophy.