Ben Kindel Could Resume Training After Fainting on Penguins Flight

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ben Kindel is back in Pittsburgh and could resume training within days after suffering a vasovagal syncope that forced his team’s charter flight to make an emergency landing in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, October 21, 2026.

The 19-year-old forward fell ill approximately 10 minutes after the aircraft departed Salt Lake City International Airport at the end of a four-game road trip as reported by the Associated Press. Team medical personnel administered oxygen on board, and Kindel quickly regained consciousness according to the league’s official site. The charter flight returned to the airport, where an ambulance transported the teenager to the University of Utah Hospital for observation and evaluation.

Hospital Release and Further Medical Testing in Pittsburgh

Kindel was released from the hospital on Wednesday after being cleared to travel as detailed by The Daily Beast. Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas, speaking to reporters on Thursday morning, explained that the player experienced a vasovagal episode—a reflex condition causing a sharp drop in heart rate and blood pressure that reduces blood flow to the brain and leads to fainting according to The Big Lead.

Medical staff placed Kindel on injured reserve on Thursday as noted by Pro Hockey Rumors while he undergoes increased testing at the team complex to determine what triggered the episode. Dubas stated that Kindel had no previous medical history of fainting spells. Team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas attended to Kindel on the plane. The franchise is no stranger to off-ice medical challenges, as longtime teammate Kris Letang previously suffered two strokes, while players like Mario Lemieux, Tomas Vokoun, Pascal Dupuis, and Filip Hallander all missed time due to serious health matters.

The understanding is that there’s certainly no history of it with Ben. Obviously, we’ll work through it to figure (out) what exactly triggered it. I don’t know about it either. But no prior history of it, no.

Kyle Dubas, Penguins General Manager, via NHL

Assistant general manager Jason Spezza, assistant coach Nick Bonino, director of sport performance Richard Rotenberg, and team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas of UPMC remained in Salt Lake City with Kindel while the rest of the team flew back to Pennsylvania on a later flight according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Return to Training Timeline and Roster Impact

Dubas outlined a cautious recovery protocol, emphasizing that the organization prioritizes player well-being over immediate athletic returns as reported by the Deseret News.

We will obviously follow very strict guidelines to ensure a safe return to training and play for Ben. That’s our primary goal and paramount to his future and health, so that’s how we will handle it.

Kyle Dubas, Penguins General Manager, via TSN

Pending test results, Dubas expressed optimism that Kindel could be cleared to work out by the end of the weekend and potentially return to practice on Sunday or Monday according to NHL reports. He is expected to miss home games against the Florida Panthers and the Nashville Predators, with a potential return targeted for an October 29 matchup against the Utah Mammoth as outlined by Heavy. The 19-year-old forward has recorded two goals and two assists through nine games this season. He made the NHL roster out of training camp in 2025 as the 11th overall draft pick, going on to tally 17 goals and 35 points in 77 rookie games according to Pro Hockey Rumors.

Through 86 career games in the NHL, Kindel has accumulated 19 goals and 39 points. Prior to the medical scare, he played 18:53 during a 5-4 loss to the Utah Mammoth, recording a point-blank attempt saved by Sebastian Cossa in the final minute.

Locker Room Reaction Amid Team Struggles

The medical emergency unfolded during a difficult stretch for Pittsburgh, which sits at 3-6-1 after dropping four straight games on the road while being outscored 21-11 according to NHL data.

Defenseman Erik Karlsson shared relief upon seeing his teammate back at the team facility in good spirits according to league reporting. Coach Dan Muse noted that the team must stay together to face their current adversity. To fill roster vacancies caused by Kindel’s placement on injured reserve and forward Bryan Rust’s absence, the Penguins recalled forward Rutger McGroarty and defenseman Chase Pietila from their American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton according to TSN. Rust, who has three goals and two assists in seven games, will be re-evaluated in six weeks.