Andrei Kuzmenko is dealing with devastating personal loss as he prepares for his fifth NHL season.
According to a report from Russian news outlet Ren.tv, Alexander Kuzmenko, the father of the Pittsburgh Penguins forward, was killed while visiting the Tuva Republic in southern Siberia. The report said Kuzmenko was bitten in the head by a bear that suddenly came out of the forest and suffered “severe facial injuries, including extensive tissue damage.”
Doctors were unable to save him. He was 62 years old.
Alexander Kuzmenko was known as a hockey coach and had worked with KHL players Nikita Korostelev and Daniil Grigoryev, among others. He was reportedly on a fishing trip in the area when the attack happened.
Ren.tv reported that a ban had been put in place along the Bolshoy Yenisey River just days earlier after growing reports of bears moving toward the forested area. The outlet also said 2026 has been a record year for bear attacks on humans in Russia, with at least 15 deaths in surrounding areas. Experts blamed the surge on “poor harvest of berries and pine nuts in the taiga: without their usual food before hibernation, the animals migrate en masse to populated areas, landfills, summer cottages, and farms in search of food.”
Kuzmenko’s NHL path has taken him through several stops since arriving in North America. After time in the KHL with CSKA Moscow and SKA Saint Petersburg, he joined the NHL in 2022 with the Vancouver Canucks. He later spent two seasons with the Calgary Flames, had a short stint with the Philadelphia Flyers, and then got his career back on track with the Los Angeles Kings.
On July 1, 2026, Kuzmenko signed a one-year, $5 million deal with the Penguins.
In 271 regular-season games, he has produced 182 points, with 85 goals and 97 assists. He also has six points, split between three goals and three assists, in seven playoff games with the Kings.
In Other News...
Cals Clemson Test May Come Down To One Brutal Battle Up Front
Clemsons visit to Berkeley is drawing plenty of attention for reasons that go beyond the usual September matchup, and the conversation around the Tigers has been shaped by a fan base still trying to sort out what this version of the program is supposed to be. Michael Ray Serber, a Clemson fan and podcast producer, said the teams recent performance has left expectations in a strange place, even as there are still players on both sides of the ball worth circling. He pointed to names on offense and defense who could matter in a game that should be tight, with the Tigers likely trying to lean on the run.
For Cal, that makes the trench battle feel like the whole story. Serber expects Clemson to come in wanting to establish its ground game and keep the game within reach, which puts the Bears front squarely under the microscope. If Cal can control that part of the game, it can make life harder on a Clemson offense still searching for consistency and turn a matchup that looks close on paper into one decided by who wins up front. [Read more 🡒]
Cal Defense Could Put Clemson In A Spot It Hasn't Faced Yet
Clemson arrives in Berkeley facing the kind of early-season uncertainty that can make even a familiar opponent feel tricky. The Tigers have leaned on continuity in the past, but this version of the roster is still settling in after heavy transfer portal turnover, and the offense is doing it with freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds taking on a major role. For Cal, that creates a chance to make the game feel uncomfortable in a hurry, especially if the Bears can get pressure on a group that is still trying to find its rhythm.
The matchup also puts a spotlight on Kingston Lopa, whose ball production has already made him one of the most dangerous defenders in the country. If Cal can force Clemson to think twice about pushing the ball downfield, the Tigers may have to take a more measured approach than they would prefer. For a program that has usually had the upper hand in this series, this is the sort of test that can reveal how ready it is to handle disruption. [Read more 🡒]
Cals New Transfer Weapons Face Their Biggest Test Yet
Cals offense has changed shape quickly around Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele after the departure of Jacob De Jesus, and the transfer portal has given the Bears a fresh set of targets to lean on. Chase Hendricks and Ian Strong have become part of that new look, helping give the quarterback more options as Cal works through the early part of the season and tries to establish a rhythm in the passing game.
Now comes a test that looks a lot bigger than anything the Bears have seen so far. Cal has already shown enough offensive pop to make its first three games feel encouraging, but Clemson brings a different level of speed, depth and pressure, and it does so in a matchup Cal has not seen in nearly 35 years. For a group still taking shape, it is the kind of game that can say a lot about how far the new receiving pieces have come. [Read more 🡒]