Q: I am enjoying Kris Letang's new role on the power-play unit and his additional ice time due to the injuries to Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney. I believe with a few more years of experience, he will develop into a very dangerous offensive defensemen. What is his contract status, and do you know if Ray Shero will try to keep him with the team?

Vikki, West Mifflin

MOLINARI: Letang actually has had a lackluster start to the season -- he has no goals, three assists and a plus-minus rating of minus-4 in seven games -- but it isn't because he isn't getting an opportunity. Letang is averaging 22 minutes and three seconds of ice time per game, just 12 seconds fewer than Brooks Orpik, who is the team leader in that category on defense. It's safe to say that being without Gonchar and Whitney has led to the Penguins force-feeding Letang a role larger than the one he would have assumed under more normal circumstances.

Still, a right-handed defenseman with Letang's skill level is a precious commodity in today's NHL, and there's every reason to believe he continues to have a prominent role in the Penguins' long-term plans. He might not be one of their handful of untouchable players, but he's also not someone they will aggressively look to move. And when his contract expires in 2010, making him a restricted free agent, Letang shouldn't have to worry about the Penguins giving him another. Assuming they haven't done so well before that.

Q: In the Boston game (Monday), penalty calls in overtime resulted in a 3-on-3 situation with under two minutes to go. Since a goal ends the game and the teams cannot be reduced to two skaters, if an additional penalty is called, what would stop the three players on either team from committing penalties indiscriminately because, regardless of what was called, the on-ice situation could not be altered and any penalties would not affect the shootout that follows?

John Burns, Mt. Lebanon

MOLINARI: It's true that, regardless of how many penalties it is assessed, a team can't be forced to play with fewer than three skaters. That doesn't mean, however, that either club has carte blanche to initiate mayhem once it doomed to finish regular-season overtime with three.

Per Rule 84.3, a team can add players -- including a fifth skater, which is one more than normally is allowed during overtime -- if penalties taken by the opponent make it necessary.

Q: Where did the old banners go? Did they keep the Michel Briere one or the Hornets banners up? Are they going to auction off any of them?

Jeff Flynn Jr., Atlanta

MOLINARI: The banner honoring the late Michel Briere and his sweater No. 21 still hangs at Mellon Arena. The Hornets banner only made a cameo appearance a few seasons ago and hasn't been seen since.

The Penguins, as most fans presumably have heard by now, replaced the banners toasting their team accomplishments (Stanley Cups, division and conference championships) and adding some celebrating their Art Ross and Hart Trophy winners.

Team officials say no decision has been made on what to do with the banners that were taken down before the home-opener this season, although putting them on display somewhere -- be it in the arena that will open for the 2010-11 season or a venue such as the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at the John Heinz History Center -- certainly would seem to be in order.

If management does opt to auction them off, the proceeds presumably would go to some charitable cause rather than into the franchise's coffers.