Kris Letang had surgery to close a patent foramen ovale (small hole in the heart), the Penguins said Wednesday. The 37-year-old defenseman is expected to need 4-6 weeks to recover. He will not play in Pittsburgh's final regular-season game, against the Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SNP, SNO, SNE).

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang has battled countless injuries, ailments, and setbacks in his NHL career. The 37-year-old puck-mover is set to battle back once again after his latest medical procedure The Penguins announced that Letang underwent successful PFO heart surgery.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang underwent successful surgery to repair a hole in his heart, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas announced Wednesday. His expected recovery time is four to six weeks.