The Pittsburgh Penguins announced Tuesday that their team plane had to return to its departure airport after a medical episode involving the forward. Ben Kindel. According to Josh Yohe of The Athletic, Kindel had a seizure moments after the plane left for Pittsburgh.
The Penguins were in Salt Lake City to face the Utah Mammoth on Monday night. They landed at Salt Lake City International Airport shortly after takeoff.
In a statement, the Penguins said team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas and team medical staff were on board and immediately treated Kindel, 19, who is conscious and stable following the incident.
The full statement reads:
The Pittsburgh Penguins team plane returned to Salt Lake City International Airport today shortly after takeoff due to a medical issue involving forward Ben Kindel. The team physician, Dr. Dharmesh Vyas of UPMC, along with the team medical staff were on board and immediately took care of Ben. An ambulance was waiting for him when he arrived and he was taken to the University of Utah Hospital for further evaluation. Ben is conscious, alert and in stable condition.
The health and safety of our players, and the privacy of their families, are our top priority. The team will provide further updates as appropriate.
An ambulance was waiting when the plane returned to Salt Lake City and took Kindel to the University of Utah Hospital. Several mThe embers of Pittsburgh’s front office, coaching staff and medical staff remained Kindel in Utah. The rest of the team should return home shortly.
Kindel is in his second season with the Penguins after recording 35 points (17g, 18a) in 77 games as an 18-year-old rookie last year. He played 18:52 of ice time against the Mammoth on Monday, recording one shot on goal, one hit and one blocked shot.
The incident comes a little more than a week after another Pennsylvania sports star, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, flew to London, England, for a game with a blood clot in his calf that spread to both of his lungs. The Eagles were criticized for flying Hurts and playing a full game with the illness that will now see him miss the rest of his season.
Gn sports
