Andrei Kuzmenko Takes Leave of Absence Following Father's Death in Russia

Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko is returning to Russia after his father, Alexander, was killed by a bear on Tuesday.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team following the death of his father, Alexander, the club announced Thursday. Alexander Kuzmenko, 62, was killed by a bear on Tuesday during a fishing trip in the Tuva Republic of southern Siberia. The elder Kuzmenko, a prominent Russian hockey coach, suffered fatal head injuries after being bitten by an animal that emerged from a wooded area.

Reports from Ren.tv indicate that six companions were present and managed to scare the bear away, but dense forest delayed medical response for several hours. Alexander was eventually airlifted to a hospital in Kyzyl, the capital of the Tuva Republic, where he was pronounced dead. Andrei Kuzmenko, 30, participated in the Penguins' Thursday morning practice session before departing for Moscow to be with his family.

General manager Kyle Dubas and coach Dan Muse confirmed the leave of absence, stating the organization offers full support to the player. Kuzmenko is entering his fifth NHL season and recently signed a one-year, $5 million contract with Pittsburgh in July. He has recorded 85 goals and 182 points across 271 career games with the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers, and Los Angeles Kings.