Just Who Is Mark Letestu

The Just Who Is Series continues with former Columbus Blue Jacket Mark Letestu.

The hometown boy was born in Elk Point, Alberta and grew up in Fishing Lake, which makes him one of two famous NHL-ers to spawn from the area. The other being outspoken, former Oilers defenceman Sheldon Souray who asked to be traded out of Edmonton citing management as the issue. (We know Sheldon – we know…but hopefully, that ship has sailed – or better yet – sunk).

From 2002-2005, Letestu played with the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the AJHL, and in 2007, after one year with Western Michigan University, he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins as an undrafted free agent.

Spending most of his time with Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and making a few NHL appearances, he finally got the call in 2010 to play in the big league for the season knocking out 27 points in 64 games.

Less than a quarter of the way through the 2011-2012 season, he was traded to Columbus for a 2012 fourth round draft pick.

Mark Letestu, a 30 year old centreman, was acquired by the Oilers shortly after a deal that sent Boyd Gordon to the Arizona Coyotes for Lauri Korpikoski. Letestu was picked up as a free agent and signed to a 3 year contract worth $5.4 million.

Although Letestu made it clear that he wanted to stay in Columbus, he jumped at the opportunity to move to Edmonton. In an interview with the Edmonton Journal at the end of August, he was quoted saying, “This feels like home. I’m still excited. You hear the buzz around the city, with the expectations of this team and it’s very exciting”.

BINGO!

The Jackets, who had salary-cap concerns, didn’t try too hard to keep Letestu on their roster either, even though he was one of their more portable forwards and an alternate captain, which means he’s got some leadership qualities that can greatly benefit the young Oilers team.

While it seems as though Letestu will bring more fourth line offence to the team (at least that’s the hope), his career success rate in the circle of just 52% shows that he won’t quite have the faceoff draw expertise that Boyd Gordon did during his stint with the Oilers. While Gordon saw some power play time as a presence in front of the net after inevitably winning the faceoff, Letestu would likely be more dangerous from the point because he can absolutely hammer the puck.

Based on his play in Columbus this past season, he is also versatile enough to be paired with the likes of Matt Hendricks on one of the penalty killing units.

Letestu, who’ll wear No. 55 with the Oilers is coming off an injury plagued season. On October 28^th against the Ottawa Senators, Letestu suffered an injury requiring abdominal surgery, which kept him out of the lineup for 10 weeks.

….At least it wasn’t his shoulder?

Hashtag Positives.

You know how the Oilers roll….

Prior to the injury though, Letestu had managed 5 points in the Jackets’ first 9 games! Not too shabby for a fourth line wheeler.

Personally, I haven’t focused on much of Letestu’s play, however, I do enjoy this little redirected goal of his with 21 seconds to go in the game that I’m sure Todd McLellan will remember.

In closing, I’ll leave you with this beauty in a shootout against his new teammate, goalie Cam Talbot.

Enjoy!

Thanks for reading