Penguins' Andrei Kuzmenko steps away after father killed in bear attack

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko has stepped away from the team after his father, Alexander Kuzmenko, was killed in a bear attack in Siberia. The Guardian

Alexander Kuzmenko was 62. He was a hockey coach in Russia. He was on a fishing trip Tuesday with a group in Tuva, a region in Siberia near Russia's southern border with Mongolia.

The group encountered a bear. The animal attacked Alexander Kuzmenko.

Help could not reach them quickly. They were in a densely forested area along the Krasnaya River, which delayed ambulances. The group traveled down the river for four hours before an ambulance could locate them.

Alexander Kuzmenko was airlifted to a hospital with severe facial injuries. He was pronounced dead on Wednesday.

Penguins president and general manager Kyle Dubas issued a statement Thursday expressing condolences to the Kuzmenko family. Andrei Kuzmenko practiced with Pittsburgh on Thursday morning. He returned to Moscow that afternoon to be with his family, and will return to Russia ahead of the 2026-27 season. CBS News

The forested area where the group went had previously been restricted because of bear activity. At least 15 people have been killed in bear attacks across Russia this year.

Russian outlet Ren.tv first reported that Alexander Kuzmenko was killed by a bear. Daily Faceoff

Andrei Kuzmenko is 30. He signed with Pittsburgh in July.

He made his NHL debut in 2022 with the Vancouver Canucks after playing for CSKA Moscow and SKA Saint Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League. That league is Russia's top pro circuit. He later had stints with the Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings before joining Pittsburgh.

In 271 NHL appearances, he has 85 goals and 97 assists.