Kris Letang in NHLPA Poll as Penguins Land Multiple Mentions
kris letang was among three Pittsburgh Penguins recognized in the NHLPA Player Poll, with the results released on April 17, 2025, from Toronto. The National Hockey League Players’ Association said players from all 32 clubs took part anonymously during the first half of the season. The poll also put Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson in multiple categories as the 2025-26 NHLPA Player Poll results were unveiled.
Penguins recognized across several categories
In the 11th edition of the poll, 348 NHL players were surveyed across a range of hockey-related questions. The Penguins were represented in four categories overall, with Kris Letang, Crosby and Karlsson each drawing attention from their peers.
kris letang finished third in voting for the category asking which player has the most intense training regimen, receiving 4. 0% of the vote. That placed him among the league’s most recognized players in one of the poll’s physical-preparation categories.
Sidney Crosby was named the top player in the category asking which player would make a great coach once they retire. He received more than double the votes of any other player mentioned, finishing with 10. 3% of the vote. Crosby also placed third in the category asking which forward could also excel as a defenseman, earning 3. 2% of the vote.
What the poll said about leadership and versatility
Erik Karlsson was also included in the player poll, finishing third in the category asking what defenseman could also excel as a forward with 4. 3% of the vote. That placed him alongside the other Penguins named across the poll’s on-ice and off-ice themes.
The poll release said leadership was a central theme, noting that the ability to communicate goes hand in hand with the ability to lead and that leadership is a crucial trait for a future NHL coach. It also framed the poll around the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs and the players’ views on topics ranging from training habits to rivalries.
Rivalry vote adds another Penguins note
The Penguins/Flyers rivalry was voted the third-best team rivalry in the NHL, receiving 9. 3% of player votes. That result gave the club another place in the poll’s broader snapshot of how players view the league’s competitive edges.
For Kris Letang, the result adds to a poll that highlighted intensity, consistency and peer recognition in a season marked by wide-ranging questions across the league. The NHL Players’ Association said the full list of results was available through its own channels, and the 2025-26 NHLPA Player Poll now stands as a leaguewide measure of how players see their peers heading into the postseason.
What happens next will unfold with the start of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which the NHL Players’ Association pointed to as part of the backdrop for the release. For Kris Letang and the Penguins, the poll offers a quick, public snapshot of how fellow players viewed them at this point in the season, with Kris Letang again part of a story built on recognition from within the league.
