Breaking: Bad news for Pens' Letang as the postseason fast approaches...

Once again, this is a tough part of the year for Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang. 

The veteran blue liner is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury; the second upper-body injury in just about a month for the star defenseman. And it seems like he might not be ready for the start of the playoffs. 

The Penguins currently sit in third place of the Metropolitan division with 97 points and despite not clinching a spot last night following a 4-1 loss at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings, the battle is on between the Montreal Canadiens, Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes as one will fall short of playoff contention.

However, it seems like Letang might also be short on time and could miss the start of the postseason. 

On Wednesday, Letang joined the team at practice in a non-contact jersey. Letang would still need to graduate to full contact before being considered for the lineup, but fans still need to be encouraged by the fact that his return to practice on a non-contact basis is a major step in the right direction.

We all remember when Letang missed the 2016 postseason due to injuries and the Penguins still managed to claim the Stanley Cup trophy without him. However, it would be almost impossible this season. 

The Penguins need a  a healthy Letang down the stretch since he's a perennial power-play producer who picks up 25-plus minutes per game when healthy. There is still time but the Penguins and their fans are getting anxious...