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Letang (lower body) skates solo, but no timetable for return

Kris Letang

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) plays during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders in Pittsburgh Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. The Islanders won 4-1. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

AP

Pens defenseman Kris Letang skated for a third straight day on Tuesday but is still without a timetable for return to full practice, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Letang, the club’s Norris Trophy nominee from a year ago, was placed on injured reserve to start the year, meaning he wouldn’t be made available until today (Oct. 8) at the earliest.

As such, he missed Pittsburgh’s first two games of the year -- wins over New Jersey and Buffalo -- and now appears set to miss a few more.

Letang will definitely be out when Pittsburgh plays at home against Carolina tonight. Following the ‘Canes game, the Pens head out on a two-game road swing through Florida (on Friday) and Tampa Bay (on Saturday).

From there, it’s another busy stretch: Edmonton on Oct. 15, Philadelphia on the 17th, Vancouver on the 19th and Colorado on the 21st. All told, the Pens play six games in a 10-day span.

Letang, 26, suffered the lower-body ailment during practice two weeks ago and only returned to the ice on Saturday. Pittsburgh head coach Dan Bylsma originally said he didn’t think the ailment would keep Letang out long-term, but it looks like he could miss up to five games.

Related: James Neal out indefinitely with upper-body injury