Ben Kindel returns, explains exactly what happened to him during medical emergency

It's been a scary week for the Pittsburgh Penguins and their fans, but the news coming out of Tuesday's practice at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex was about as encouraging as anyone could have hoped for. After an incident that forced an emergency landing and sent a 19-year-old to the hospital, things are finally starting to feel normal again in Cranberry Township.

What Happened and How Kindel Is Feeling

Ben Kindel, the Penguins' sophomore center, was back on the ice Tuesday for the first time since collapsing on the team's flight home from Utah on October 19. The episode, which the team described as a "vasovagal episode," caused the plane to turn around for an emergency medical landing. Kindel was taken by ambulance to a local hospital and released the following day.

For those unfamiliar, a vasovagal episode is essentially when your body overreacts to certain triggers and causes you to faint. It can also occur without any identifiable trigger. It sounds terrifying in the moment, especially at altitude on a team charter, but the good news is that Kindel appears to have come through it without any lasting effects.

Kindel participated fully in the hour-long practice, skating on the second line alongside Evgeni Malkin and Egor Chinakhov and taking reps on the second power-play unit. Head coach Dan Muse confirmed the young forward was cleared for full contact. When asked how his body handled the workout, Kindel kept it simple: "Pretty good. It's nice to be back out there with the guys."

The Coquitlam, B.C., native told reporters he didn't have much to add beyond what president and general manager Kyle Dubas had already shared during a press conference last week. "Obviously an interesting experience," Kindel said. "I don't really have any more facts from the incident. Just happy to be moving forward now. I'm really grateful for the Penguins' staff, doctors, trainers, everybody. They were so good, as well as the flight crew. They handled it with really good professionalism. Everything worked out."

Kindel also revealed that he was cleared for physical activity almost immediately after getting back to Pittsburgh, noting he started working out again within a day or two of his return.

Looking Ahead for Kindel and the Penguins

Perhaps the most encouraging sign is Kindel's mental state. The young forward said he doesn't expect any psychological hurdles going forward. "For me, it's in the past now," he said. "We can move forward. I'm definitely not dwelling on anything. I'm grateful for my teammates as well. They made it so easy to come back. It's just so awesome to be back on the ice."

Captain Sidney Crosby echoed the positive vibes, saying, "Things are progressing well. We've seen him around the rink. It's been awesome to have him around."

Muse noted that Kindel had been around the facility even before Tuesday's skate, staying connected with his teammates throughout the process. "But obviously the next step was just having him back on the ice with the team for a full team practice and being a full participant," Muse said. "It was great to have him back with us."

Interestingly, Kindel may have actually earned a promotion during his absence. He had typically served as the team's third-line center, but he was slotted onto the second line during Tuesday's practice. He has two points and two assists through nine games this season after posting 35 points in 77 games during his rookie campaign.

The Penguins haven't officially confirmed whether Kindel will suit up for Thursday's home game against the Mammoth, but if he doesn't make it for that one, Kindel himself expressed hope he'd be ready for Saturday's trip to Montreal to face the Canadiens. "Praying for this weekend," he said.

In other injury news from Tuesday's practice, Sam Girard skated in a non-contact jersey after missing three games, Justin Brazeau practiced without an injury designation despite not playing a game yet this season, and Malkin returned after missing Saturday's game due to illness. All in all, a pretty positive day at the rink for a Penguins team that could use some good news.