A most welcome sight occurred earlier today, as 19-year-old forward Ben Kindel returned to practice today in full-contact capacity at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. Kindel’s return follows a health scare he suffered last week as a result of a “vasovagal episode” (a sudden drop in blood pressure causing brief loss of consciousness) on the team flight after a game with Utah. Fortunately, the plane had not traveled a great distance from the Salt Lake City airport when the incident occurred, making for a quick return to the airport and trip to the University of Utah Hospital. Team medical staff cared for Kindel on the plane, and, after a hospital evaluation coupled with an overnight stay, he was cleared to fly back to Pittsburgh. Penguins’ GM Kyle Dubas stressed a cautious recovery with more testing ahead. Kindel skated alongside other injured Pens’ players like Evgeni Malkin and Sam Girard today, marking a positive step as the Penguins manage recoveries before upcoming games.
October 27, 2026
