Despite missing half of the 2016-17 regular season and all of the playoffs with a severe neck injury and subsequent surgery, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang is optimistic about playing next campaign.

Related: Watch: Terrell Owens breaks Kris Letang's ankles during training

So much so, in fact, the oft-injured rearguard expects to be ready for training camp.

"Obviously, I've had a lot of time to rehab it and get stronger and make sure I was all healed up," Letang said, according to Kaitlyn Kaminski of NHL.com. "It's been pretty good and we're on a path of starting training camp and being fully healthy."

Over the course of Letang's 11-year career, the 30-year-old blue-liner has faced numerous serious ailments, including three concussions, a stroke, and multiple broken bones.

However, Letang's propensity to spend time in the press box clearly hasn't slowed the Penguins, as Pittsburgh looks to become the first team to three-peat as champions since the 1980-82 New York Islanders.

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