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...
Clippers Fans Have One Big Reason To Watch Toronto's Next Move
Torontos front office still sounds like it believes theres room to keep pushing. Bobby Webster said the Raptors have enough draft capital and financial flexibility left to make another major addition if the opportunity comes along, even after the franchise paid a steep price to land Kawhi Leonard in the first place. For Clippers fans, that keeps the old Leonard trade tree from feeling like a closed book, especially with Webster also pointing to healthy signs around Jakob Poeltl and the clubs ability to keep RJ Barrett in the fold.
Webster also addressed the process behind the Leonard deal itself, saying Toronto completed its due diligence while the NBA was investigating the Clippers and never tried to reopen or renegotiate the trade after the leagues sanctions. Leonard later signed a two-year extension with the Raptors, but the lingering context around that move still gives this another layer of intrigue for anyone in Los Angeles watching how the fallout continues to echo around the league. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Open A Two-Way Spot With Camp About To Start
With training camp about to get underway, the Clippers are making room on the back end of the roster by planning to waive Jamarion Sharp to open a two-way contract slot. Sharp, a 7-foot-5 center, joined Los Angeles on a two-way deal in August after building his case with a strong G League and college career, but the move gives the team more flexibility as it sorts out its camp roster.
If Sharp clears waivers, he is expected to become an unrestricted free agent on Sunday. The Clippers already have two other players on two-way contracts and are not actively looking to replace Sharp, which suggests this is more about preserving roster flexibility than making an immediate addition. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Just Lost A Frontcourt Fix They Really Needed
The Clippers have been searching for a better answer on the glass in their frontcourt, where Brook Lopez and Rui Hachimura have carried much of the load but have not given them the rebounding edge they need. That made Julian Reese an interesting name for LA, especially after the rookie big man showed he could help on the boards during his first season with the Wizards and looked like a sensible developmental fit for a team trying to shore up a glaring weakness.
Now Reese is off the board after landing with the New Orleans Pelicans on a two-way deal, which takes another potential frontcourt fix out of the Clippers' reach. With training camp approaching, the focus turns to the current two-way group and whether one of those players can emerge as the rebound-minded option this roster still needs. [Read more 🡒]