The NHL Alumni Association is confirming the death of former NHLer Scot Kleinendorst, who played eight seasons in the league. According to a report by CBS, Kleinendorst was injured on December 7th in a workplace accident while operating a crane for a paper company in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
The accident happened at about 6 p.m., when Kleinendorst was operating a crane that was unloading pulp wood. Kleinendorst was ejected from the crane, causing him to suffer serious head injuries and fractures. It is not clear what caused the accident.He was taken to a Duluth hospital, where he has undergone several surgeries. His current condition is not known.
The paper company later released a statement, with the following excerpt:
On the evening of Saturday, December 7, a serious accident occurred at UPM Blandin. Medical personnel provided support on site and the employee was flown by helicopter to the trauma center in Duluth, Minnesota.We are all shocked by this tragic incident and our immediate thoughts are with our employee and family. We are in contact with the family and will support the family as much as possible in this difficult situation.
Kleinendorst started his NHL career in 1982-83 with the New York Rangers. He would move on to the Hartford Whalers in 1984-85 where he would spend parts of five season before finishing out his career with the Washington Capitals. Kleinendorst was not shy about dropping the gloves. In 261 NHL games, he recorded 452 PIM. He also scored 12 goals and 58 points. Our sincere condolences to Kleinendorst's family and friends.
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