Assistant coach Alex Hicks wasn’t on the bench for Arizona State’s hockey home opener Friday against Holy Cross, making him the latest coach affected by the fallout from defenseman Matthew Mayich’s August 20 collapse during an outdoor workout.
The Bench Is Getting Smaller
The university stayed silent on why Hicks was missing from the team. This comes right after head coach Greg Powers was placed on administrative leave back on September 30, meaning he also missed the team’s opening weekend games at Lindenwood. Hicks was reportedly present during that fateful August 20 outdoor workout when Mayich, a 21-year-old defenseman drafted by the St. Louis Blues, collapsed. That workout happened on the very first day the NCAA even allows official activities.
Unlikely to Recover and Players Speak Up
Family attorney Rob Carey confirmed Mayich suffered from external heat stroke, which tragically reduced the flow of oxygen to his brain, and he is now unlikely to recover. This isn’t just a university issue either, the Arizona State police department is on it, investigating the incident and preparing a report for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to review independently once it’s done. Seven ASU players, fearing retaliation from coaching staff, sent an anonymous letter through an attorney to university President Michael Crow. They called for an independent review and for any coaching staff involved in that outdoor workout to be placed on administrative leave until it wrapped up, even pointing out discrepancies from an initial probe by the university. Head coach Powers did issue a statement saying he’d cooperate and that players should feel free to be candid during the review process.
Family Wants More Than Just Talk
While the Mayich family was reportedly pleased Arizona State brought in former Arizona State Supreme Court chief justice Scott Bales to investigate, they are not happy with the scope of his review. They want Bales to dig into *what went wrong* during the workout and *who was responsible*, not just review school policies. That independent review is expected to be completed by early December.
The focus now squarely turns to early December, when Justice Bales’ independent review is due. Will it provide the detailed answers the Mayich family desperately wants about accountability for what happened on that August day, or will it leave them still searching for justice?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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