Penguins offer support to Andrei Kuzmenko after tragic loss of his father

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko will presumably be indefinitely away from the club after his family endured an unspeakable tragedy ahead of the start of the 2026-27 NHL season. 

Father of Andrei Kuzmenko killed

As Josh Yohe of The Athletic shared, Kuzmenko's father, Alexander, was shockingly killed in a bear attack during a fishing trip in Russia on Wednesday. Alexander Kuzmenko was 62 years old. 

"Our deepest thoughts and sympathies are with the Kuzmenko family and their loved ones as they grieve the loss of Alexander," Penguins president and general manager Kyle Dubas said in a statement shared on the club's website. "We ask that the privacy of Andrei and the Kuzmenko family be respected at this time. Andrei chose to be surrounded by his teammates and practice with the team this morning before returning to Moscow to be with his family this afternoon. Andrei and the Kuzmenko family have the full support of the Penguins organization during this time." 

It's unclear when Kuzmenko, 30, will return to the Penguins. Kuzmenko signed a one-year, $5M contract to join the Penguins this past July, and he is slated to be part of the team’s third line. Most recently, he tallied 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) over 52 games with the Los Angeles Kings last season before he needed surgery to repair a torn meniscus in February. He was eventually activated for the playoffs, but he appeared in just a single game. 

Penguins will help Andrei Kuzmenko stay strong through tragedy

"I hope he will stay strong," Penguins defenseman Ilya Solovyov said about Kuzmenko. "And I hope he will be the same guy. He’s so positive. He’s like a lighter in a dark room. Every time, he’s positive, no matter what happens. You look at him, and you want to be positive as well. I hope he will stay strong and be the same positive guy. I can’t imagine what he’s feeling." 

Penguins head coach Dan Muse also addressed Kuzmenko's loss on Thursday. As for the club, the Pens will open the season with a matchup at the rival Philadelphia Flyers on Sept. 30.