Penguins GM Kyle Dubas Provides Update on Ben Kindel After Medical Event on Team Flight

Penguins GM Kyle Dubas Provides Update on Ben Kindel After Medical Event on Team Flight originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh.
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The Penguins placed forward Ben Kindel on injured reserve after he experienced a medical episode on a team flight.

On Thursday morning, Pittsburgh president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas explained what happened during Tuesday’s flight. Dubas told reporters that Kindel collapsed 10 minutes into the flight from Salt Lake City to Pittsburgh. The event was described as a “vasovagal episode,” which occurs when someone faints because the body “overreacts to certain triggers,” per the Mayo Clinic.

The medical staff on the plane quickly attended to Kindel, who regained consciousness. The plane then made an emergency landing back in Salt Lake City, and Kindel was transported to the University of Utah Hospital. Kindel was cleared to fly back to Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

“I think anyone who’s been a part of any episode of that nature, you gain a deep appreciation very quickly for the way that people are trained to handle them,” Dubas said.

Kyle Dubas spoke to the media this morning on the status of Ben Kindel. https://t.co/YtnHDTkILm

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 22, 2026

It is unclear what triggered the event, but Dubas said that Kindel will undergo further testing.

“We will obviously follow very strict guidelines to ensure a safe return to training and play for Ben,” Dubas said. “That’s our primary goal and paramount to his future and health. … Our hope is to get everything done, tested, back into training here in the next four days or so and then see if he can return to practice on Sunday or Monday.

“I would put an asterisk on that by saying we’ll see how everything goes before then.”

Pittsburgh will face Florida and Nashville at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday and Saturday, respectively, before a four-day break.

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