With a heavy heart, Andrei Kuzmenko returned to practice with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.
Kuzmenko was away from the team for more than a week after his father, Alexander, died from a bear attack in Siberia.
The forward made a statement to the media at practice.
“Hi everyone. I want to say, because I respect your job and I understand this is hockey, it's a little bit media work. And I be honest in my life and I don't want (it to be) false about these things. I want it true. I, one time, say about everything. And this is, my father go to permit fishing with friends and he stayed in the water. And bear (stood) behind him and attack. And my father fight (the) bear one hour 10 minutes and he still lived after two days and a big shock. And this is permit fishing. Everything is good. I want it (truth of) what happened. The organization monitored in Moscow," Kuzmenko said, per NHL.com.
Kuzmenko went on to thank everyone who supported him while mourning his father's death.
He also said he is switching his number to 62 to honour his father.
“... Now I understand this is my mother's birth year (of 1962) and my father, (was) 62 years (old) when he died," he said.
Kuzmenko, 30, signed a one-year contract with the Penguins in the summer.
"I'm happy to go back to Pittsburgh ... I missed everyone. I go back, back to reality, back to my job. And let’s go, keep working. I missed hockey, really. After last season, when I (had) two injuries ... I want to play and I have had a good (preparation) for the season."
Kuzmenko previously played with the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings.
