The Pittsburgh Penguins are hoping to get Ben Kindel back in the lineup soon.
The 19-year-old center collapsed on the team’s plane Oct. 19 after what the team described as a “vasovagal episode” about 10 minutes into the flight back to Pittsburgh from Salt Lake City, Utah.
He was hospitalized after the plane made an emergency landing back at Salt Lake City International Airport. He flew home with staff the following day.
Ben Kindel injury update
Kindel returned to practice with the team Tuesday ahead of a game against the same Utah Mammoth team it faced before the episode last week.
Pittsburgh dropped a 5-4 decision in that matchup. Kindel registered a single shot in 18 minutes
and 53 seconds of ice time.
No decision has thus far been made about whether Kindel will return to game action. A determination will be made some time after practice Wednesday before the game Thursday at PPG Paints Arena.
“Nice to be out there with the guys,” he said after practice at the team’s facility in Cranberry Township, Pa. “Praying for this weekend.
“Just happy to be moving forward now. Just really grateful for the Penguins’ staff. Doctors, trainers, everybody, who were so good. As well as the flight crew. They handled it with really good professionalism, and everything worked out good so we can move forward.”
Kindel has two goals and two assists in nine games so far in 2026-27.
Last season, Kindel was a key newcomer who sparked the team’s return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after a three-year drought. He tallied 17 goals and 18 assists for a 35-point season that was among the best by an NHL rookie.
Fans have pinned a lot of hopes on the 11th overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft since, viewing him as a potential cornerstone with veteran stars like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang reaching the end of successful, championship-winning careers.
“I thought he looked good,” coach Dan Muse said of Kindel after the Tuesday practice. “It’s good to have him back on the ice with us. Kindy’s been around here, even going back to last week. In the building, around the guys. But obviously, next step is having him back on the ice for a full-team practice and a full participant.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Penguins' Ben Kindel could be nearing a return after incident on team plane
