Penguins make a sudden move amid Ben Kindel health concerns

The Pittsburgh Penguins were supposed to be back on the ice Wednesday for a mandatory practice session. Instead, the team shut everything down, cancelling all on-ice activities and media availability in the wake of a scary incident involving 19-year-old forward Ben Kindel.

According to reporter Seth Rorabaugh, the Penguins scrapped practice and workouts due to the events surrounding Kindel and the resulting travel delays.

The decision came a day after the Penguins' team plane was forced to return to Salt Lake City International Airport shortly after takeoff due to a medical episode involving Kindel. Multiple Pittsburgh reporters have since indicated that the young forward suffered a seizure during the flight.

The Penguins released a statement confirming that team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas and the medical staff were on board and immediately attended to Kindel. An ambulance met the plane upon landing, and Kindel was transported to the University of Utah Hospital for further evaluation.

Because practice was cancelled, no updates on Kindel or any other players are expected at this time.

Kindel was the 11th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft out of the WHL's Calgary Hitmen. The British Columbia native made an immediate impression during his rookie season, tallying 17 goals and 35 points across 77 games in 2025-26.

His sophomore year had started promisingly as well. After missing time early in the campaign with a lower-body injury, Kindel returned in October and scored in each of his first two games back.

Support for the young forward has reportedly poured in from across the hockey world since news of the incident broke on Tuesday.

The Penguins appear focused solely on Kindel's well-being rather than any on-ice concerns. The specifics of his condition beyond the initial update remain unclear, and the team has given no timeline for when further information might be shared.