Kris Letang reaches 1000 career games and NHL Twitter heaps praise - "Best looking guy for the past 17 seasons"

Pittsburgh Penguins veteran defenseman Kris Letang completed his 1000th career game during the Penguins' 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday. Throughout his seventeen years in the NHL, Letang has only donned the jersey of a single franchise.

With this milestone, the 35-year-old became the 15th defenseman in NHL history (since 1967) to have won the Stanley Cup three times and played 1,000 career games.

Following this remarkable achievement, followers flooded Twitter in to praise and congratulate him for the accomplishment.

Here's how Twitter reacted to Kris Letang's 1000th NHL career game:

Kris Letang has now joined the likes of Sidney Crosby (1,185) and Evgeni Malkin (1,058) as the only players to play at least 1,000 games for the Penguins. Prior to the game on Sunday, the veteran defenseman expressed his excitement for the event.

Letang said (via NHL.com):

"Whatever is going to happen on Sunday, that's going to be it. I tried to see what Sid and 'Geno' went through. Everybody kind of feels different. So still don't know."

Letang has played in 59 games and has averaged 24 minutes of ice time for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season, accumulating 36 points via 10 goals and 26 assists. The 35-year-old has a plus/minus of minus nine with 30 Penalties In Minutes (PIM). He's has been involved in 5 (PPG) and 17 (PPA) with three game-winning goals for the team this season.

Kris Letang was honored with a pre-game ceremony to celebrate his 1000th NHL career game

Prior to the start of the game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins honored the veteran defenseman for reaching the 1000 game milestone.

Kris Letang's teammates, wife Catherine, two children and other family members were all present at the the PPA Arena to mark the celebration. The Pittsburgh Penguins honored the defenseman with a collection of his 1000 photos along with a silver-plated hockey stick. Penguins players donned in #58 jerseys and mimicked Letang's famous pre-game warmup routine.

Letang was the 61st overall pick for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2005 NHL entry draft. He made his career debut against the Philadelphia Flyers on October 6, 2005. The 35-year-old veteran is currently into his 17 year in the NHL and during that span Letang has won the coveted Stanley Cup three times.

With his remarkable milestone on Sunday, Kris is now the 381st and 40th active player in the NHL to reach the 1000-game plateau.