Pittsburgh Penguins star Andrei Kuzmenko is on leave from the team after receiving news that his father had been killed by a bear attack in his native Russia.
Penguins General Manager Kyle Dubas announced the death of Kuzmenko’s father, Alexander, and the player’s bereavement leave in a statement posted on X.
“The Pittsburgh Penguins organization was deeply saddened this morning to learn of the passing of Andrei Kuzmenko’s father, Alexander,” Dubas said.
According to Russian sports site Sport 24, Kuzmenko’s father had been on a Siberian fishing trip with six others.
The group set up camp on a nearby bank in the forest on the Bolshoy Yenisei River. The bear attacked the group and bit Kuzmenko in the face. His fellow fishermen loaded him into a boat and brought him to a nearby village, where they summoned a medical rescue helicopter.
Alexander made it to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries while being treated in the facility’s Intensive Care Unit, Sport 24 reports.
The Penguins acquired Andrei Kuzmenko this offseason, signing a one-year, $5 million deal. In 2025, Kuzmenko played for the Los Angeles Kings and recorded 25 points, including 13 goals and 12 assists.