NHL
Penguins Say Ben Kindel Is Stable After Medical Episode on Team Flight
The 19-year-old forward was taken to a Salt Lake City hospital for evaluation after Pittsburgh’s plane returned to the airport.
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ben Kindel was conscious, alert and in stable condition after a medical episode aboard the team’s plane on Tuesday, October 20, the Penguins said.
The flight returned to Salt Lake City International Airport shortly after takeoff. Team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas and the Penguins’ medical staff attended to Kindel on board, according to the Penguins’ statement.
An ambulance met the plane, and Kindel was taken to the University of Utah Hospital for further evaluation. The statement did not identify the cause of the episode or give a timetable for his return. Pittsburgh said it would provide more information when appropriate.
Kindel, 19, is in his second NHL season. The Penguins selected him 11th overall in the 2025 draft. He has two goals and two assists in nine games this season, according to The Associated Press.
Pittsburgh was returning from a four-game trip that ended with Monday’s 5-4 loss to the Utah Mammoth. The Penguins are scheduled to host the Florida Panthers on Thursday at PPG Paints Arena.
