Matthew Mayich's Arizona teammates dispute school report on workout before Hamilton NHL prospect's collapse
Arizona state lawmakers also call for independent investigation into ASU training session last month
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lawmakers → dispute → session
An anonymous letter by members of Arizona State University's hockey team that was sent to the school's president disputes aspects of ASU's official report into events that led up to Canadian NHL prospect Matthew Mayich's collapse.
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that → send → collapse
In the review released last week, ASU official James Rund wrote that the Hamilton-born 21-year-old collapsed just before 8:30 a.m. during Aug. 20 training at Sun Angel Stadium on ASU’s Tempe campus.
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old → release → campus
It also determined ASU hockey coaches didn't submit a plan for review by trainers before the training session.
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coaches → determine → session
The players said in the letter that they had it sent anonymously Monday to ASU president Michael M. Crow through their lawyer, Timothy J. Casey, as they feared retribution.
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they → say → retribution
It alleges that Mayich "received no water" during the outdoor workout on a hot day last month, and calls for the university to place the trainers "responsible for approving, conducting and supervising the session" on leave pending an independent investigation.
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university → allege → investigation
Hockey coaches didn't submit training plan before Matthew Mayich collapsed in workout: Arizona university
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Family demands answers after hockey player collapses from 'military style' workout
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player → submit → workout
The players' letter says that, to "our knowledge, no one involved has been placed on leave, suspended or disciplined.
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one → say → leave
The head coach who selected the instructor and scheduled the session continues to lead our program."
It
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who → select → program
urges that the team's coaching staff be replaced "for the period of the investigation if the facts set out in this report, together with what the investigation finds, indicate that step is appropriate.
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step → urge → what
Also on Monday, the Arizona State Legislature's House and Senate education chairs, Republicans Matt Gress and Hildy Angius, announced on X that they're calling for an independent investigation into the Aug. 20 training session.
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they → announce → session
In a news release, they said they have asked the state's Board of Regents to retain an independent investigator.
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they → say → investigator
Mayich struggled near end of workout, ASU report says
According to Rund's report, during the workout, a "break was taken approximately 20 minutes into the event for the student athletes to drink water."
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athletes → struggle → water
However, the letter from the players alleges "Matthew, and many of us, did not get water at any point."
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Matthew → allege → point
Rund, ASU's senior vice-president of educational outreach and student services, said coaches asked permission for Timothy Ziesel, who was there for the workout and had "spoken with the ASU hockey team in the 2025-26 season about topics of leadership and teamwork," to speak to the team.
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who → say → team
However, the coaches didn't "submit a plan of training activities for review by ASU’s strength and conditioning coaches" before training began, Rund said.
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Rund → submit → coaches
Hamilton NHL prospect Matthew Mayich 'needs a miracle' after training collapse, family lawyer says
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Near the end of the workout, "Matthew appeared to struggle, and then in rapid succession stumbled, dropped the medicine ball and fell to the ground," Rund wrote.
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Rund → need → ground
"He attempted to get up and resume running, but fell to his knees."
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He → attempt → knees
Rund also announced that ASU would have a panel of experts provide best-practice recommendations.
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panel → announce → recommendations
The players' letter alleges that when "those of us who reached the water drank, Ziesel stood behind us and declared that he did not get water in combat."
The players also ask for answers to 19 questions, including:
- Who approved Ziesel to work with the team and when?
- Why was the strength and conditioning coach, who head coach Greg Powers says runs the team’s workouts, excluded from planning or reviewing the Aug. 20 session, and who made that decision?
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who → allege → decision
- Why was no one assigned to monitor each player for signs of heat illness, including altered consciousness?
- Was the team physician contacted?
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physician → assign → consciousness
- Why did the review [by Rund] rely on an off-site weather station?
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review → rely → station
- Did anyone verify Ziesel’s first-aid, CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) certifications?
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anyone → verify → certifications
In a statement shared with media Tuesday afternoon by Rob Carey, the Mayich family's lawyer, Matthew's parents, John and Christina, said they were “so grateful to Matthew's teammates.
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they → share → teammates
A lot of you have come by, sent messages, and kept Matthew in your thoughts every day.
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lot → come → thoughts
It means more to us than we can say."
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we → mean → us
The Mayichs said they "want this team to have a great season, and we'll be cheering for you.
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we → say → you
But the coaches who ran that workout on August 20 need to be removed while an independent investigation gets to the truth.
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investigation → run → truth
The players shouldn't have to worry about retaliation from the people they report to every day."
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they → have → people
The players also made several requests, including that:
- Written findings be issued on whether each requirement of the Outside Consultants and Exertional Heat Illness policies was met on Aug. 20.
- The staff responsible for approving, conducting, and supervising the workout session be placed on administrative leave pending an independent investigation.
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staff → make → investigation
- The investigation be referred to an agency outside the university.
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investigation → refer → university
- There be confirmation in writing that no player will lose a scholarship, roster position or playing time for participating in any investigation or in this report, and that each will be protected from retaliation if their identities are revealed.
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identities → lose → retaliation
When asked for comment, Chris Fiscus, ASU vice-president of media relations and strategic communications, told CBC News on Tuesday afternoon that the university "will respond later today."
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university → ask → afternoon
At the time of publication, no response had been provided.
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response → provide → publication
Last week, Carey said "Matthew is in stable but critical condition still.
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Matthew → say → condition
The family is still praying for a miracle, but nothing has significantly changed.
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nothing → pray → miracle
But even if that happens, we will never have the young man who came to Arizona last month, a hockey star and ... a wonderful person."
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who → happen → Arizona
Carey said that "when Matthew went down [during the workout], there was no plan and no preparation, so he was treated in a way that hurt his chances rather than helped them."
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that → say → them
"A month later, nobody's been named, nobody's been suspended, nobody's been fired for violating the very policies ASU published today, and the university wants to appoint a committee."
Mayich played minor hockey with the Hamilton Huskies between 2016 and 2020.
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Mayich → name → 2016
He was selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL draft by the St. Louis Blues.
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He → select → Blues
…and 1 more, not listed.
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