The family of Matthew Mayich, a St. Louis Blues draft pick who transferred to Arizona State this summer, has asked for continued support as he approaches a week in hospital.
Mayich collapsed during an outdoor workout on the university’s campus on Thursday morning. He has been hospitalized since.
The family has spoken publicly only through his cousin, Victoria Beara, who addressed a virtual prayer service held for Mayich on Tuesday by the Canadian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce. Her remarks were reported by the Arizona Republic.
“Even though we are going through this heartbreak, it is truly such a blessing to see everyone praying and just the impact Matthew has had on so many people.”
She asked that people keep praying and not give up.
Tempe Fire Medical Rescue characterized the incident as a heat-related illness. Arizona State has not disclosed his condition, citing student privacy law, and no medical update has been provided by the university or the hospital.
The only formal statement the school has issued came from Chris Fiscus, its vice-president of media relations, on Saturday:
“The university offers its support for the student-athlete, their family and all our student-athletes during this difficult time.”
The Arizona Republic reported on Tuesday that Mayich had suffered a cardiac event and remained in a coma. That account came from Deacon Kevin Barron of the Catholic Community of Buffalo North, who said Beara had contacted him and who has led rosary prayers for Mayich on three consecutive days. Neither Arizona State nor any medical authority has confirmed it.
Who he is
Mayich is a 6-foot-3 defenceman from Stoney Creek, Ontario, and would have been in his first season with the Sun Devils, wearing No. 27.
He spent four seasons with the Ottawa 67’s, playing more than 250 OHL games and serving as an alternate captain in his final two years. The Blues took him in the sixth round, 170th overall, at the 2023 draft. Last season, as a freshman at Clarkson, he put up 15 points in 34 games and led all Clarkson first-year players in ice time at 19:47 a night. He transferred to Arizona State in the off-season.
The Blues organization has not commented publicly.
The questions Arizona State has not answered
What the university has said about the circumstances is limited.
The workout took place outdoors on campus on a Thursday morning in late August. Arizona State has said it did not occur during the hottest part of the day, and that monsoon storms the previous night had brought cooler temperatures. The university’s student newspaper reported conditions of around 90°F with 46 percent humidity, with an extreme heat warning in effect.
It is also not publicly established whether the session was a formal team practice, an organized team activity, or something more informal — accounts have described it as both a training session and a team-bonding exercise.
Arizona State has said it is reviewing the circumstances.
A vigil for Mayich has been held, and messages of support have come from across junior and college hockey.
