Matthew Mayich, the Arizona State sophomore and St. Louis Blues 2023 sixth-round draft pick, remains in a coma at a neurological institute, with his lawyer declaring there’s “zero chance of recovery.” Yet, when Arizona State men’s hockey coach Greg Powers finally spoke publicly this week, more than a month after Mayich was hospitalized, he repeatedly refused to discuss the grueling workout that put the player on life support.
The ‘Grueling’ Workout That Collapsed a Season
Mayich, who previously played in the Ontario Hockey League before transferring from Clarkson University this past summer, collapsed during a team workout on August 20. It was nearly 90 degrees that day, and the session, run by an ex-Green Beret soldier, was described as “grueling.” Reports indicate Mayich showed obvious signs of distress and was unable to complete tasks throughout. He was taken to a local hospital before being transferred to the neurological institute where he currently remains in a coma. This isn’t some minor injury; it’s a gut-wrenching situation, leaving everyone wondering what exactly happened out there.
Coach Powers’ Wall of Silence
Powers faced a barrage of questions from reporters during the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s media day on Wednesday, speaking publicly for the first time since the incident. He acknowledged only that it’s been “a difficult time” for the Sun Devils’ program and that Mayich had been in “our thoughts and prayers.” But that was essentially the extent of his transparency regarding the player’s critical condition. “I know there will be more questions about Matthew, and we won’t be able to answer those today,” Powers stated, according to The Athletic. When reporters pressed him repeatedly, even asking if he held himself responsible, he replied with a stone wall: “Respectfully, I decline to answer any questions regarding Aug. 20.” The virtual video conference reportedly got a bit heated as reporters continued to push for answers. An Arizona State report, released on Tuesday, noted that Powers and his staff didn’t even submit the training activities to the school’s strength and conditioning coaches for review. Crucially, that report assigned no blame for the incident. When NCHC associate commissioner Michael Weisman jumped in to shut down questions about the report, saying they were “here to talk about the season,” it only highlighted the infuriating lack of transparency. Powers dodged another question about whether any players had raised concerns before the workout, and when asked why discussing hockey was more important than Mayich, he again stated he was “not able to answer questions regarding it in any way.” His only substantial answer on the subject came when asked how he would assure nervous parents about sending players to ASU, bizarrely claiming that “Everything that has been great about coming here to play hockey still is.”
It’s a chilling response when a young player’s life hangs in the balance with “zero chance of recovery.” How Powers has modeled accountability for his team since this incident, apparently, isn’t something he wants to talk about either.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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