News Article: Letang is a Beast

[HuGo Sham]

thought you guys would like this

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=680657&navid=DL|NHL|home

Click to read more...

 

[Nietzsche Zone Play]

Hoping Letang rubs off on a lot of the young defensemen in the next couple years. He's always mentioned as being one of the top 5 fitness/gym freaks in the league and after reading in-depth stuff like that, it's easy to see why. I got tired reading it...

 

[Hear Me Now]

Another one of these workout videos of his, huh?

I'll pass...

 

[mpp9]

Guy's a physical freak. There's no doubt about that. I just hope he gets better between the ears this year. I think the calming presence of Scuderi and the need for a mentor for Despres will do wonders for him.

 

[MonsterSurge]

He'd be more likable if he wasn't such a d-bag.

 

[WhoDaresWins]

He'd be more likable if he wasn't such a d-bag.

What did he do to piss you off? I've met him more than once and he's a nice guy. He's very private and now he's spending all his time with his family. Most people who have met him, including the ones who know him well, say nothing but good things about him.

 

[#66]

I really can't wait to see him under Martin. I think Martin will give him the good habits he needs to take the next step. IMO those little tweaks will take him from being very good to great.

Same goes for Sid defensively. I think he runs around a lot and gets caught up casing more than he should. I like that he plays the full 200' of the ice but some fine tuning will do a world of good. That little bit of structure and poise in the defensive zone will help him not waste energy and will also free him up offensively a little more.

 

[MonsterSurge]

What did he do to piss you off? I've met him more than once and he's a nice guy. He's very private and now he's spending all his time with his family. Most people who have met him, including the ones who know him well, say nothing but good things about him.

He just comes off as one. Maybe he just hates the media.

 

[66-30-33]

Guy's a physical freak. There's no doubt about that. I just hope he gets better between the ears this year. I think the calming presence of Scuderi and the need for a mentor for Despres will do wonders for him.

Then you got Martin aswell. Letang might turn into a complete beast and win several Norris's. Then again for that contract, he better!

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

He just comes off as one. Maybe he just hates the media.

To be fair if I had to deal with media morons like Rob Rossi day in day out, I'd hate the media too.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Then you got Martin aswell. Letang might turn into a complete beast and win several Norris's. Then again for that contract, he better!

How many has Weber won with the contract he's had?

I don't care if he doesn't win the Norris, it's a joke of an award these days anyway. If Letang can put up 45-50pts and be an absolute beast in his own end, he's worth every penny. My biggest concerns with him was the lapses in his defensive game. If he can be a guy that can shut down some of the best guys or go up against him and be reliable, he's worth that contract.

He needs to be that good. He has the skill set and the talent to be.

 

[ColePens]

This is the style of training I've done for the last 2 years and every time I watch his workouts I'm just astonished. It's beyond ridiculous. He explodes at such a high level that very few can match. I know he's a professional athlete, but I can almost guarantee you very few can get in the gym and do what he does. It's ridiculous. The guy is a freak of nature.

If he could figure out the mental part of the game... we have a one of the best dmen in the league on our team. But he HAS to play smarter.

 

[vikingGoalie]

no doubt Letang is a freak of nature. Equally impressive to me is that his recovery is such that he is working out 1-2x a day with that intensity. Certainly they vary what gets hit, but your nutrition has to be spot on to not over train.

on totally different tangent, anyone hear whom Beau is training with this summer?

 

[stepdad gaary]

I don't think there is anything he could have said in those interviews that wouldn't piss people off.

He'd be more likable if he wasn't such a d-bag.

 

[MonsterSurge]

I don't think there is anything he could have said in those interviews that wouldn't piss people off.

I wasn't talking about these videos...Just in general...

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

This is the style of training I've done for the last 2 years and every time I watch his workouts I'm just astonished. It's beyond ridiculous. He explodes at such a high level that very few can match. I know he's a professional athlete, but I can almost guarantee you very few can get in the gym and do what he does. It's ridiculous. The guy is a freak of nature.

If he could figure out the mental part of the game... we have a one of the best dmen in the league on our team. But he HAS to play smarter.

Have you tried that Jacob's Ladder? Thing looks insane, haha.

 

[ColePens]

Have you tried that Jacob's Ladder? Thing looks insane, haha.

I actually think that's one of the easier things he's doing. But at that pace... it just becomes absurd. So many people would fall right off or not be able to maintain that length of top speed.

I've been on it a lot. I'm going to have to try running on it like that and see what happens. I doubt it will be good.

What surprises me is his back strength/upper body explosiveness. If he put half the dedication into his mental game, we'd be sitting on a gem.

 

[mpp9]

I actually think that's one of the easier things he's doing. But at that pace... it just becomes absurd. So many people would fall right off or not be able to maintain that length of top speed.

I've been on it a lot. I'm going to have to try running on it like that and see what happens. I doubt it will be good.

What surprises me is his back strength/upper body explosiveness. If he put half the dedication into his mental game, we'd be sitting on a gem.

But that's the thing. He does spend quite a bit of time reviewing tape and trying to improve weaker points in his game.

I think he's just an idiot occasionally.

 

[Valarukar]

But that's the thing. He does spend quite a bit of time reviewing tape and trying to improve weaker points in his game.

I think he's just an idiot occasionally.

I'd like to read about him working on his shots from the point too.

 

[HMPens]

I wasn't talking about these videos...Just in general...

I don't think I've ever heard of anyone who has met or known Letang personally who has said he was anything but a great guy. Here is just one example of a twitter reply to the workout video:



MN Hockey Camps
@mnhockeycamps
This young man is one of my favorite athletes/draft picks as a player and person Letang Uses Grueling Summer Workout penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?…
4:06 p.m. Thu, Aug 22
1 Retweet

 

[WhoDaresWins]

I don't think I've ever heard of anyone who has met or known Letang personally who has said he was anything but a great guy. Here is just one example of a twitter reply to the workout video:



MN Hockey Camps
@mnhockeycamps
This young man is one of my favorite athletes/draft picks as a player and person Letang Uses Grueling Summer Workout penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?…
4:06 p.m. Thu, Aug 22
1 Retweet

That's very true. And other than with Rossi, I've never gotten the impression that he hates the media. His interviews with Madden are always good. Sean Conboy wrote about him for Pittsburgh Magazine and said he was humble. Tanger is quiet and very private. At times there might be a disconnect during spoken interviews while he's translating in his head. Maybe people see that as something other than what it is.

 

[Pens17]

But that's the thing. He does spend quite a bit of time reviewing tape and trying to improve weaker points in his game.

I think he's just an idiot occasionally.

Alas, we may get the young man a cognitive dissonance coach who will help him decide instantaneously if he should pinch in or drop back and actually contribute to the defense at least occasionally.

 

[stepdad gaary]

I wasn't talking about these videos...Just in general...

so basically, "I'd really like this guy if I could just forget for a second that I hate him." Is that what you mean?

 

[SirloinUB]

Hey guys, not where sure to put this. Non-pens fan curious what your pairings, pk and pp will look like for dmen. Thanks in advanced for the info.

 

[khaoskennedy]

Hey guys, not sure to put this. Non-pens fan curious what your pairings, pk and pp will look like for dmen. Thanks in advanced for the info.

assuming we do trade Niskanen

Scuderi Letang
Orpik Martin
Despres Bortuzzo/Engelland

PP
would prob have Letang on 1st unit unless he's terrible there, Martin on 2nd unit. Possibly Despres on 2nd unit at times

PK
some combination of our top 4