After playing in two games for the Pittsburgh Penguins, forward Andrei Kuzmenko has been granted non-roster status by the NHL.
Kuzmenko just lost his father, Alexander, who died after being attacked by a bear during a fishing trip.
Last week, Kuzmenko said his father’s death was a “big shock” to him.
According to Ren.tv, his father suffered extensive tissue damage after being bitten in the head by the animal. The animal emerged from a nearby wooded area.
The report said that Alexander was taken by a helicopter to Tuva Republic’s capital, Kyzyl. However, medical interventions were unsuccessful, and he was later pronounced dead.
Now that Kuzmenko is a non-rostered player, he can be with his family. He can now sort out any affairs following the tragic passing of his father.
Penguins giving Andrei Kuzmenko time to catch up
When Kuzmenko came back from his father’s funeral in Russia, he changed his jersey number from 10 to 62. He did that to honor his parents; notably, his mother was born in 1962.
Penguins Head Coach Dan Muse addressed Kuzmenko being permitted to be away from the team at this time. He spoke about it on Wednesday morning.
“I think with him it’s extremely commendable, everything that he did back home to be with his family, and then coming back and wanting to be with the group right away. I said it before, just heartbroken for him, and just a tragic situation,” Muse said.
“Right now, I think for him, it’s just the kind of getting back up to speed. And so, he’s with us on this trip. He’s not going to be playing on the trip. But he’s going to be skating and getting some work in. For us right now, it’s just helping him. Number one, being there for him as a human being, which is always the priority, and it absolutely is right now. Then also, just working with him on just getting back up to speed after some time off and being there for his family in an absolutely tragic situation.”
When Kuzmenko is ready mentally and physically, he will be back in the lineup for Muse and the Penguins. He’s capable of being a winger that fits in across all four lines and providing depth scoring.
Penguins depth at forward position
While Kuzmenko will be back in the lineup when he’s ready, it’s a crowded forward room in Pittsburgh.
The Athletic’s Josh Yohe noted that the Penguins didn’t give Kuzmenko $5 million to sit in the press box. Moreover, he’s only a couple of years removed from scoring 39 goals at the NHL level.
Forward Ben Kindel has been playing well and is coming out of his rookie season with 35 points in 77 games. Now, as a 19-year-old, he’s expected to raise the bar this year down the middle for the Penguins.
Blake Lizzotte and Connor Dewar are other depth skaters the Penguins have liked having in their lineup. This is especially true when it comes to bottom-six lines in Pittsburgh.
“Lizotte and Dewar aren’t coming out of the lineup anytime soon. They are trusted players who were just given new contracts and are one season removed from playing pivotal roles on the fourth line,” Yohe wrote this week.
There’s depth in the Penguins’ organization while Kuzmenko is taking his time to get back to 100% away from hockey. Players like Kindel, Lizotte, and Dewar can be reliable and hold up the forward corps for the time being.
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Penguins Make Roster Decision on Andrei Kuzmenko