Ben Kindel collapsed, suffered from vasovagal episode onboard Pittsburgh Penguins team plane

Penguins forward Ben Kindel has been discharged from a Utah hospital and returned to Pittsburgh after collapsing on the team plane earlier this week. 

During a press briefing Thursday at the team facility in Cranberry Township, Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas said the incident, which he described as a vasovagal episode, happened about 10 minutes into the team flight home from Salt Lake City on Tuesday. The Penguins played the Utah Mammoth at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday night.

Kindel on injured reserve 

Kindel, 19, was taken to the University of Utah Hospital on Tuesday for further evaluation after the Penguins turned the team's plane around shortly after taking off from Salt Lake City International Airport. He was later cleared to travel and has since returned to Pittsburgh. 

Dubas said Kindel does not have a history of these types of episodes, and it's unclear at this point what triggered the incident. 

"We will obviously follow strict guidelines to ensure a safe return to training and play for Ben," Dubas said. "That's our primary goal and paramount to his future and health."

Dubas credited the Air Canada crew onboard the plane at the time of the incident.

"If you've been a part of any episode of that nature, you gain a deep appreciation very quickly for the way that people are trained to handle them," Dubas said. 

Kindel has been placed on injured reserve, and he's expected to undergo further medical testing. There is no timetable for when he will return to the ice. 

"There's certainly no history with Ben of it," Dubas said. "And, obviously, we'll work through to figure out what exactly triggered it."  

What is a vasovagal episode?

The Mayo Clinic defines a vasovagal episode as a common, temporary loss of consciousness caused by a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure.

"The vasovagal syncope trigger causes your heart rate and blood pressure to drop suddenly," the Mayo Clinic says. "That leads to reduced blood flow to your brain, causing you to briefly lose consciousness."

The Mayo Clinic said these types of episodes are "usually harmless" and require no treatment.

"Your healthcare professional may recommend tests to rule out more-serious causes of fainting, such as heart conditions," the Mayo Clinic says.