Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ben Kindel is officially on injured reserve after a terrifying medical episode forced his team’s plane to make an emergency landing out of Salt Lake City this past Tuesday. This isn’t just a minor setback, folks. The team’s general manager, Kyle Dubas, straight up said Kindel is “very clearly shaken and sorting through it.” It’s a gut punch for the Penguins and a scary moment for a kid who’s already defying expectations.
Mid-Air Scare Forces Emergency Landing
Imagine being 10 minutes into your flight home, then everything goes sideways. That’s exactly what happened to the Penguins’ team plane after leaving Salt Lake City International Airport. Ben Kindel, the young phenom, experienced a medical episode so severe that the pilot had to turn around and land immediately. Paramedics were waiting on the tarmac to rush him to the University of Utah Hospital. Thankfully, Kindel was given oxygen and regained consciousness, but the scare was real. Dubas confirmed Thursday morning that Kindel’s diagnosis was a vasovagal episode, basically fainting. While the rest of the team flew back to Pittsburgh later that Tuesday, Kindel wasn’t alone. Assistant GM Jason Spezza, assistant coach Nick Bonino, director of sport performance Richard Rotenberg, and team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas all stayed with him in Salt Lake. That’s dedication right there. Kindel and his support crew finally made it back to Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
What’s Next for Kindel and the Penguins?
So, what exactly is a vasovagal episode? The Mayo Clinic says it’s when your body just overreacts to something like extreme emotional stress, or even just anxiety about flying. Your heart rate and blood pressure tank, blood flow to your brain drops, and boom, you’re out. Usually, these things are harmless unless you get hurt from falling, and they don’t need treatment. Dubas made it clear that Kindel has no history of these episodes, and the team is working hard to figure out what triggered this one. Right now, Kindel is on injured reserve, and the team is implementing “strict guidelines to ensure a safe return to training and play for Ben.” The hope is he can get back to practice by Sunday or Monday, maybe even sooner. But you can bet they aren’t rushing anything after an incident like this.
The Young Gun Who Shocked the League
You’ve gotta understand how big a deal Ben Kindel is for this Penguins squad. At just 19 years old, he’s the eighth-youngest player in the entire NHL this season, four years younger than the next youngest guy on his own team, Ville Koivunen. Most experts figured Kindel would go in the late first round of the 2025 draft, but the Penguins snagged him 11th overall. Then, the kid absolutely stunned everyone by making the roster right out of training camp that same year. Who does that at 18? Not many! Kindel wasn’t just riding the bench, either. He helped the Penguins make the playoffs last season when everyone had them pegged as a lottery team. They ultimately fell to their in-state rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, in six games, but Kindel’s impact was undeniable. In 86 career NHL games, he’s already put up 19 goals and 39 points.
The Penguins are at home tonight, then again on Saturday, before a four-day break. Their first game back? A rematch against the Utah Mammoth. While they’ll be focused on those matchups, you know all eyes will be on Kindel and his progress. Here’s hoping he gets back on the ice safely and stronger than ever, because this kid is electric.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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