# Kuzmenko takes leave from Penguins after father dies on fishing trip

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-09-24 16:20 UTC · Category: Sports

## Executive Summary
Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko takes a leave of absence following the tragic death of his father in a bear attack.

## Intelligence Brief
Current reporting shows that Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko has stepped away from the team following a family tragedy. The media response to the event is widespread across major sports and general news outlets, with multiple publications detailing the circumstances surrounding the death. Contextual coverage indicates that the sudden bereavement directly impacts the Penguins forward ahead of hockey activities, prompting the team to grant him a leave of absence.


The reports emphasize the personal nature of the tragedy while identifying the player's role within the National Hockey League franchise. Further details regarding the exact timeline of the attack and subsequent events remain tied to the initial breaking announcements from the aforementioned sports desks. Looking ahead, coverage does not yet specify when Andrei Kuzmenko will return to the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup or rejoin team activities.


Observers and fans will monitor official updates from the NHL franchise regarding his future availability. For now, the focus across all reporting remains entirely on the player's leave of absence and the circumstances of his father's passing in Russia.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| New York Post | Andrei Kuzmenko leaves Penguins after father Alexander killed by bear | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqwFBVV95cUxQWndpdDF1Mm9vSEg4TURVZmhHQkx6WnJjUzBZRUkxZm5tQnFjOUJEOVp6Zi1LU2JiVVVVVkZBVnRXeGZocE1PMXZPNG5EWEw2VlEzclN2YWI4QVhSQy1lVFFsQWRmdnI5ZzR2UkFQMG9aVUM5aGVxQkNRck1jWjNNRjVlbTA1M0EydUFKbVVSR1JtUUh5cWZDLXBieUdSaHhVcGl6MkhEN3hlVGM?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Sports | Andrei Kuzmenko’s father suffers fatal bear attack, reports say | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijgFBVV95cUxNV09CM1k0OV90QU1RQWVtQnhBRklYQTBMOFllQVRFT3VBdUtGTThXYUdaVHhKclBiaEtOVU02UWUzNDFrVDZWdDJVWkRCYlVQWEdZYnJoaER0OVJPUG1wOUVxX3U2dW13UkFhejUtTzFRVkJTcXl1V1d2aXlTbzltWGJxMVNfaTZvRURmNVN3?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Sports | Pittsburgh Penguins Release Statement on Passing of Andrei Kuzmenko's Father | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimgFBVV95cUxORVFGb2VBMmtpWEliTktqVFBLV29kV2h6S0cweWxQVDg0UHZPQUQwWF9NeTVMRENOQ0w5QVZiRWVYNmdfY085NVc0clA5NXBLVWhVQ2x1Y09PSHRmaFR2U0pNMWxaTlJtckRCUGE4UzhLMlFVY21VSDVxNk5ud0NFRE1UMUhEa25GNWYybEpvakItSWhCeHowZmxn?oc=5) |
| USA Today | Father of Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko dies in bear mauling in Russia | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi0wFBVV95cUxPcDBodGdzSUU2cXdJUlVPbXBZNWs1QjVhQkl3WV9panExSFE4TUdOSXQ5M1I0NGRtNWZZSDNXWlpjbVU1N094bThpLUdmR2gtX09HUlhtY2lsR0N1bzFGcUg2SHlOWS1qbnlGNmc5X3VqTFAwWUhJZFB6MThGRmFQWThtRUM0UUVCdVp4THNBa2lwaW8wN1NJV3doSkZOd21EUFJzUkg0V0lBQ2hhSXVzU2wtZnlBT3pZNXBVU29lMzctSWJDWk9XMG1oU1BheVpuQnlj?oc=5) |
| The Guardian | NHL’s Andrei Kuzmenko steps away from team after father killed in Siberia bear attack | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqgFBVV95cUxPd2pRd3U1cWNwWmt2VFJrRGVVcmQ3WjZJZFhHRmpmWHpxdzVwckxrSnNucWZ3QUlNR0VnTVNodjhjUF8wN194NWZvbUNfWTlIOHByZUYtU3FDZkdfTkhPYmsxUkNURGJjeENYR0REX2F1RFY3STV3eTVHQ0dCazZ1RzZ0TWVUR0JpYlVqUEt4a2stakd4NlktbHBTU2ctMURwZVd5OVREUmx6QQ?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Sports | Father of NHL Star Killed By Bear Attack at 62 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiggFBVV95cUxOX3Fiby13czdXc1RPcDdCVlRsMWhLRGZqWmc2ZEJHZktkZ3ZVcTVyLTY3VUVMUWFFMktoYzJSQ3pZN1A2NTB5NWFab3RoV04tcGNwRURaUGdGVlNIQ3pEZE1sZmxzUjQ2V0F0MlFtSTNVT3NLRlNLRm5qa0tWb1pSRnpn?oc=5) |
| Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | Andrei Kuzmenko will be away from the Penguins following his father’s death | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiugFBVV95cUxNM2tsdHRnc0ZZYzhPRUZBSW8tOGNMcXZfTWh6NFVlODBmT0ZVV2g1R3BSenRNWFMxbHdEdTA0ZjZnRmJfS0dlWEp5YmdWaWFsYm1rSXV0ZFJ4UHNyTXlFZDBBUjZpd0xlaDBWbzJjYVlCR3lfRjlRSTNkblpwejczWlg5eXZDbzlvcnowOC13V2VCT1JzSVpjX3l1Q0V5MHBHbTVHZ3NQMGxRd2QxUnlGOVhYbmd4dm96NVE?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Sports | Penguins' Andrei Kuzmenko takes leave from team after father is killed by a bear in Russia | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi2AFBVV95cUxPQzZPY1RQUkdjVFJsYnU2NzlMb1pLVXhKeDFxbGMtRTdZTXI2RDMtN0Q4akR0NlllZVlLUGpkVV9RQXhtRWZqdUlxVm5iaENrVGJtbkl3MjBndFk4Q1FQZ29pT3pybDFraW1qQl9zTEpVcDVjaDRiVkdod201SGNQZmJHR252X01PdEdFcmliYW43Wnh6NWpOeEZXcXVUQ1Z3OHNUSmtQbHdqMWdfb08zR2RjS2pWQi1jT0NQSER6bzJzYk1ZSWY1NHlIVXg0ZjFuMnBySFFLcXk?oc=5) |
| Currently.com | Father of NHL star Andrei Kuzmenko killed in bear attack | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiigFBVV95cUxPQUdsLWVzSWlQcE5lVEVXNE5qT1RndVdudS1ZUER6ekw5cnBFTU9VTkxoSUdjQzE3c2NrenZlSmoyVUJRa1RXcEJWSUExTk1xN3FQQ19iZEhLM0ZaR0JNMV9WVDRIbXFWcTlsNjl2UVZCNzd0bHBudXFlcDNQZjIzY0dNcDM3ekxOQ1E?oc=5) |
| Fox News | Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko's father killed in bear attack on remote Russia fishing trip | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwgFBVV95cUxNTXV6Nm1ucjRpVWFKMTQ1U2N0ejktckZfX2Z5Vm93NF80R0NJWjBoQkdfRzFSWVMtcnk5Z3FlbW1yUTYzRjRJZHRLa3hyRUdCUmt6aDJvTGNNRElzbVZDU3o5RndYRE82blZZbTVaY0JWSUh2Z0VkeDV5WmxtckZHVTBtenl2TnlzV3ZuV21LUUxFUDJ1SE1XMmlsTk5BWFo0WUhlWlN1bnBCbGNvQklSOWNZSjRzRFBmQXFTVEkwNzlSdw?oc=5) |
| Sportsnet.ca | Penguins announce death of Andrei Kuzmenko's father, Alexander | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinwFBVV95cUxNY3R0UEZkTEExQnNUeVRzLWdCX203UVVFWGxUSklPeTBJYjc2Rk1NY2NwZkFKWDI5TTZrb2pGTlpyYW1sS0lBVm9XNkN2N1ExUU1JZ1hHZE5MVVZVLUhObnV1QjlvaDZKWk5FZlc2c1IwTlFzcFVJazY0UnhueE40VmljblZXVmo0V0p1Rk9RYk43VERrX0FTejdxSXFRTVE?oc=5) |
| The New York Times | Father of Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko killed in Russian bear attack | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilgFBVV95cUxNeWlBREVSQnVRa0JnUVEtV1JPbVNkcWtDcU4zZmxmWmJoNi1uRnJXbjhyazlDU1Z1OEJrN3daMGVSeTJqdUNJTEVEbHhQZzAteUEwRDV2blpMV0lvMHlpN2JscG1rRlRwSHhFU3hHMmhEUWtPeU84b1lfNUlSMm5pajgtYy1ocC1EVDlDUDNDSUlzUXhDU3c?oc=5) |
| NHL.com | Kuzmenko takes leave from Penguins after father dies on fishing trip | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqAFBVV95cUxObENNcjNibE9sOWNKMGx5YUtQWDEzaDlrQW9neWJuOUlYTjY5RXV0SVI0anpqcUN0WVdRTUJnbnpQTVkyUTBZSk1TUFprdVZiZHpPajNkMGNGbkllTVpkQWdRejZhcFBKWDU0NWJEQ0xvTEUwZTdDUndJU1E0VmppdUU4Mml4SG1mV0c4N19FeHI2aFpwcENPZFZqX2dFdHJ5ZkNxbEVDVFU?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-09-24/kuzmenko-takes-leave-from-penguins-after-father-dies-on-fishing-trip*