Penguins add top prospect Letang

The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned defenseman Kris Letang from the Val d’Or Foreurs of the QMJHL to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, it was announced on Thursday.

Pittsburgh’s third-round choice (62nd overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft completed his junior season with Val d’Or on Wednesday night, finishing first among defenseman and second overall with 31 points (12g, 19a) in 19 postseason games. Val d’Or lost in the QMJHL finals to Lewiston, four games to none.

A native of Montreal, the 20-year-old Letang began the 2006-07 season with Pittsburgh, recording two goals and four penalty minutes in seven games before being returned to his junior club.

Despite appearing in only 40 regular-season games with Val d’Or, Letang finished fourth on the team with 52 points (14g, 38a). He also captained Canada to a third consecutive gold medal at the 2007 World Junior Championships, recording six points (6a) and a plus-4 rating in six games.

In three seasons with Val d’Or, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound defenseman totaled 152 points (52g, 100a) in 170 regular-season games.

He is expected to be available for Game 5 of the East Division Finals on Friday, when the Penguins take on the Hershey Bears at the Giant Center.