The Aporia · Arizona State hockey players send letter to school president about teammate's collapse

Arizona State hockey players send letter to school president about teammate's collapse

Read the original at Toronto Star ↗

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APA MLA Chicago

Marshall, J. (2026, September 28). Arizona State hockey players send letter to school president about teammate's collapse. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/arizona-state-hockey-players-send-letter-to-school-president-about-teammate-s-collapse/article_ca58a659-2e68-5595-aaa2-ca6b46b9ff4d.html

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Quick Summary

Seven members of Arizona State University's hockey team have anonymously sent a letter through their attorney to university president Michael Crow, demanding that the coaching staff be placed on administrative leave pending an independent investigation into the collapse of their teammate Matthew Mayich during a workout. The players claim that ASU’s initial probe contradicted key facts and did not adhere to the school’s heat policy guidelines. They fear retaliation from coaches who control playing time and scholarship levels, and urge for external oversight in investigating the incident which left Mayich hospitalized with severe brain damage from exertional heat stroke.

Written by AI on 2026-09-29, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Seven members of Arizona State’s hockey team anonymously sent a letter through attorney Timothy J. Casey to President Michael Crow on Monday, calling for the coaching staff to be placed on administrative leave until an independent investigation is completed into the collapse of their teammate Matthew Mayich during an outdoor workout on Aug. 20. The players fear retaliation from head coach Greg Powers and his assistant coaches, who control playing time, scholarship levels, and roster status. The letter disputes ASU’s initial probe, which stated that Mayich received proper hydration and care after collapsing; the players assert he did not receive adequate medical attention or hydration during the workout.

The parents of Matthew Mayich, John and Christina Mayich, also called for coaches involved to be placed on leave in a statement sent through their lawyer. In response, ASU athletic director Graham Rossini announced that head coach Greg Powers has been put on paid administrative leave pending an independent investigation into the incident.

NCHC supports this decision, stating it aligns with providing stability and support for both Matthew Mayich and the hockey program during these challenging times.

Written for “Arizona State Hockey Scandal” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 13 other(s) covering the same event.

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How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

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Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

1 of 22 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

64/100

Toronto Star's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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articles that frame the event the way this one does

Analyzed 2026-09-29 · how these are computed

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Publisher

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Who wrote this

John Marshall

16 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Maybe the Arizona Cardinals should play all their games at SoFi Stadium.

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🔮 Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Monday the Avalanche have granted Hakstol permission to speak with Arizona State about the position and a decision could come later this week.

2026-10-12 · assertive framing · Arizona State in talks with Colorado Avalanche assistant Dave Hakstol about hockey coach job

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2026-10-04 · assertive framing · Fifita accounts for 3 TDs, shorthanded Arizona shuts down Cincinnati for 34-7 win

🔮 Powers will not join the team for its season opener at Lindenwood on Friday in the wake of the Aug. 20 collapse of defenseman Matthew Mayich.

2026-09-30 · assertive framing · ASU hockey coach on leave after player collapsed during outdoor workout

🔮 John and Christina Mayich, parents of 21-year-old Matthew Mayich, released a statement through the family attorney on Tuesday, concurring with a letter sent by seven Arizona State hockey players to university president Michael Crow on Monday.

2026-09-29 · assertive framing · Parents of Arizona State hockey player who collapses call for coaches to be placed on leave

🔮 The letter sent to President Michael Crow through an attorney on Monday also contradicted some of the facts stated in Arizona State’s initial probe into the collapse of Matthew Mayich during an outdoor workout on Aug. 20.

2026-09-28 · assertive framing · Arizona State hockey players send letter to school president about teammate's collapse

🔮 Matthew Mayich collapsed during an Aug. 20 workout and remains hospitalized with what family attorney Rob Carey said was exertional heat stroke that reduced flow of oxygen to his brain.

2026-09-22 · assertive framing · Arizona State report shows training plan not submitted before hockey player's collapse

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🔮 That past built what could be a better future in Utah.

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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

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Topics

ASU Ariz. Arizona State’s TEMPE the St. Louis Blues

Subjects

Mayich PERSON · 5× Arizona State’s ORG · 3× ASU ORG · 2× Arizona State ORG · 2× Ariz. GPE · 1× Matthew Mayich PERSON · 1× Michael Crow PERSON · 1× TEMPE GPE · 1× Timothy J. Casey PERSON · 1× the St. Louis Blues ORG · 1×

Narrative

Seven members of Arizona State’s hockey team have sent a letter to the school president calling for the coaching staff to be placed on administrative leave until an independent investigation into the collapse of a teammate is completed.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-29

2026-09-29 · Toronto Star

Arizona State hockey players send letter to school president about teammate's collapse · assertive framing

Claims (22 extracted, 1 hedged)

investigation → send → teammate

The letter sent to President Michael Crow through an attorney on Monday also contradicted some of the facts stated in Arizona State’s initial probe into the collapse of Matthew Mayich during an outdoor workout on Aug. 20. asserted

letter → send → Aug.

The players sent the letter anonymously through attorney Timothy J. Casey out of fear of retaliation. asserted

players → send → retaliation

The letter said several other members of the team share their concerns and questions, but opted to not join the letter for fear of retaliation for speaking the truth. asserted

members → say → truth

“We are submitting this report anonymously because we fear retaliation from the coaching staff,” the letter said. asserted

letter → submit → staff

“That fear is not directed at one person. asserted

fear → direct → person

The head coach and his assistant coaches were all on the field on August 20, all remain in their positions, and together they decide our playing time, scholarship levels, and roster status. asserted

they → remain → time

No one has separated us from them since that morning.” asserted

one → separate → morning

Mayich, a defenseman who was drafted by the St. Louis Blues, collapsed during an outdoor workout on the first day the NCAA allows teams to hold formal activities. asserted

teams → draft → activities

He remains hospitalized and his family’s attorney has said the 21-year-old is unlikely to recover after suffering exertional heat stroke that reduced flow of oxygen to his brain. asserted

that → remain → brain

The Arizona State police department is investigating the incident and a report will be sent to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for independent review when completed. asserted

report → investigate → review

Arizona State’s initial report showed ASU hockey coaches were present during the workout, but plans for the training session were not submitted to the school. asserted

plans → show → school

The players’ letter claims multiple parts of ASU exertional heat policy were not followed before and after Mayich collapsed, including progressive acclimatization to Arizona’s heat, frequent rest periods and access to fluids whenever needed. uncertain

Mayich → claim → fluids

The letter said the workout was 75 minutes of constant exertion and only the players who did well at the task were allowed a break for liquids. asserted

who → say → liquids

Mayich was not among the players who were allowed to hydrate, it said. asserted

it → allow → players

The players called for the staff responsible for approving, conducting and supervising the session be placed on administrative leave and name an interim coaching staff. asserted

staff → call → staff

It also called for the investigation to be referred to an agency outside of the university. asserted

investigation → call → university

“An interim staff would allow the investigation to be completed and the players to be heard, without asking players to put their scholarships, roster positions, and playing time at risk in order to be heard,” the letter said. asserted

letter → allow → order

“It is not fair to require that.” asserted

It → require → that

The Blues drafted Mayich in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL draft, but he never signed an entry-level contract. asserted

he → draft → contract

The Stoney Creek, Ontario, native played four seasons with the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League before playing at Clarkson University last season. asserted

native → play → University

Mayich transferred to Arizona State for the upcoming season. asserted

Mayich → transfer → season