Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko is taking a leave of absence following the death of his father, Alexander.
According to Russian network REN TV, Alexander Kuzmenko was on a fishing trip with six other people in Siberia when he was attacked by a bear. He was reportedly bitten in the head and suffered severe facial injuries.
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The dense forest along the Krasnaya River reportedly caused a delay in ambulances being able to reach the 62-year-old hockey coach. The group was able to get the bear away from the area before Kuzmenko was eventually airlifted to a hospital in Kyzyl where he was later pronounced dead.
Andrei Kuzmenko practiced with the Penguins on Thursday morning before departing to Russia.
“The Pittsburgh Penguins organization was deeply saddened, this morning, to learn of the passing of Andrei Kuzmenko’s father, Alexander,” said Pittsburgh general manager Kyle Dubas in a statement. “Our deepest thoughts and sympathies are with the Kuzmenko family and their loved ones as they grieve the loss of Alexander. We ask that the privacy of Andrei and the Kuzmenko family be respected at this time.
“Andrei chose to be surrounded by his teammates and practice with the team this morning before returning to Moscow to be with his family this afternoon. Andrei and the Kuzmenko family have the full support of the Penguins organization during this time.”
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Andrei Kuzmenko signed a one-year, $5 million contract to join the Penguins in the summer. After eight seasons playing in Russia’s KHL, the 30-year-old signed with the Vancouver Canucks in 2022. In January 2024, he was dealt to the Calgary Flames before moving again a year later to the Philadelphia Flyers. Two months later, he was on the move again after being a trade deadline acquisition by the Los Angeles Kings, where he played through last season.
The Penguins open the 2026-27 NHL season next Wednesday night against the Flyers.
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