Sullivan said he hasn't worried about Letang or the ice time he gives him. That shouldn't change when the Penguins play the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVA Sports, NHL.TV). The Penguins have eliminated the Capitals from the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past two seasons.

"He's the same player," Sullivan said. "He might be healthier now than he's been in a long time."

Letang appreciates playing maybe more than ever. He especially appreciates being able to play healthy. He didn't do that last season.

"I played 41 games with that injury," Letang said. "I was getting treatment after treatment. I was seeing doctors just so I could play five games. Then I would see them again. It was painful."

He finally couldn't take it anymore.

"ItIt's not like I pushed the wrong way or anything, it was just something that wasn't right."

The Penguins announced on April 5 that Letang would require surgery and need 4-6 months to recover.

"I got shut down," Letang said. "That was hard to swallow."

Letang's fears eventually subsided a few weeks into his rehab, when he started riding an exercise bike and returned to being around his teammates. He skated regularly in a sweatsuit in practice and acted as a coach of sorts throughout the playoffs.

He was on the ice in full uniform after Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final in Nashville to celebrate the Penguins' second straight championship, one many pundits didn't think they could win without Letang.

"I was with the team so I was starting to feel