Penguins' Kris Letang will be out 4-6 months after surgery on neck

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ quest for back-to-back Stanley Cups just became more difficult.

Defenseman Kris Letang will be out 4-6 months after he undergoes surgery on a herniated disc in his neck, the team announced Wednesday.

Letang, a two-time Cup winner, last played Feb. 21. He will finish the 2016-17 season with five goals and 34 points in 41 games.

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When healthy, the 29-year-old right-shot defenseman is among the best in the NHL, with the ability drive offense and play a shutdown game. He helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup last year, posting three goals on 70 shots and 15 points in 23 games, while averaging a team-high 28:53 of ice time.

The Penguins occupy the second spot in the Metropolitan Division with a 49-19-11 record and three games left in the regular season. The playoffs are set to begin April 12.

In addition to Letang, the Penguins have been dealing with injuries to Evgeni Malkin, Trevor Daley, Olli Maatta, Carl Hagelin and Chris Kunitz.

"Kris underwent an MRI in February that revealed a herniated disc in his neck," general manager Jim Rutherford said in a statement. "Our neurosurgeons examined him and recommended conservative treatment in an attempt to correct the condition without surgery.

"Kris had been making progress and was hopeful of returning for the playoffs until about a week ago, when the progress plateaued. He underwent another MRI, and, at that point it was determined that surgery was needed."