Tragedy at Arizona State: Attorney Says Blues Prospect Matthew Mayich Has ‘Zero Chance of Recovery’ Following Workout Collapse

Questions are mounting over an intense outdoor team workout, Arizona State’s handling of the incident and whether enough was done to protect the 21-year-old defenseman.

What began as a frightening medical emergency involving an Arizona State hockey player has developed into an unimaginable situation for Matthew Mayich, his family and the hockey community.

College Hockey News reported Tuesday that it spoke directly with attorney Robert Carey, who represents Mayich’s family. Carey said the 21-year-old St. Louis Blues prospect has “zero chance of recovery” following his collapse during an Arizona State hockey workout on August 20. Carey is also conducting his own investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and has sharply criticized the university’s handling of its review.

Mayich had only recently arrived at Arizona State after transferring from Clarkson University. According to Carey, he had been in Arizona for less than a week when he participated in the Aug. 20 outdoor conditioning session. The National Weather Service had an extreme heat warning in effect in the Phoenix area that day.

The workout has now become the focal point of serious questions about athlete safety, oversight and accountability.

What Happened on August 20?

Mayich was participating in an outdoor conditioning workout with his Arizona State teammates when he became unresponsive. Tempe Fire Medical Rescue responded to Sun Angel Stadium that morning following a report of a heat-related illness, and Mayich was transported for emergency medical treatment.

According to reporting surrounding the incident, the roughly 50-minute session involved conditioning exercises including sprints, planks, push-ups and bear crawls. The workout was led by Tim Ziesel, a former Green Beret who was not an Arizona State employee.

Carey says the workout was far more demanding than Arizona State has portrayed it.

He told KJZZ that players he interviewed described limited opportunities for breaks and access to water while athletes struggled through the session. Carey alleges Mayich’s catastrophic condition was directly related to heatstroke and dehydration caused by the workout. Those claims have not been established through an independent investigation, and an attorney representing Ziesel has disputed the characterization of the workout as excessively strenuous.

That disagreement is now at the heart of the controversy.

Family Attorney Challenges Arizona State

Carey has accused Arizona State of failing to conduct the type of independent investigation he believes the circumstances demand.

According to The Arizona Republic, Carey says players who participated in the workout have described an environment significantly different from what he believes the university has portrayed publicly. He has called for members of the hockey coaching staff to be placed on administrative leave during the investigation, arguing that players could otherwise feel pressure because coaches maintain influence over scholarships, playing time and other aspects of their college careers.

Arizona State, for its part, says its review remains active.

The university told KJZZ that senior vice president James Rund is leading an examination of both the circumstances surrounding the incident and university policies. ASU also says its athletic department has heat-safety protocols based on National Athletic Trainers’ Association guidelines and policies governing outside individuals who work with student-athletes.

Arizona State has not announced any suspension of head coach Greg Powers or members of the hockey staff.

That leaves two very different narratives surrounding the workout — and a devastated family seeking answers.

A Young Hockey Career Put Into Perspective

The hockey details feel almost secondary now, but they demonstrate just how much was ahead of Mayich before August 20.

The Stoney Creek, Ontario native was selected by the St. Louis Blues with the 170th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft. He spent four seasons with the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s before beginning his collegiate career at Clarkson.

As a freshman during the 2025-26 season, Mayich recorded seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in 34 games before transferring to Arizona State for the upcoming season. He had not yet signed an entry-level contract with St. Louis.

The Blues have been following his medical situation closely.

On August 26, Blues president of hockey operations Doug Armstrong released a statement saying the organization was keeping Mayich “close to our hearts” while extending its support to his family, friends and teammates. Armstrong said Mayich’s agent had been keeping the organization informed about his condition.

This Has Become Bigger Than Hockey

There are moments when sports stories stop being sports stories.

This is one of them.

The scoreboard, NHL projections and future depth charts no longer matter. A 21-year-old went to a team workout and suffered a catastrophic medical emergency. His family is now facing circumstances no family should ever have to confront.

At the same time, difficult questions have to be answered.

Who approved the workout? What safeguards were in place? How much water and recovery time were players given? Who was monitoring athletes for signs of heat illness? What happened when Mayich began struggling? And was an intense military-inspired conditioning workout appropriate for college athletes who were just beginning organized activities in the Arizona heat?

Those questions cannot be answered through assumptions, nor should responsibility be assigned before the evidence is established. But they absolutely deserve answers.

National Athletic Trainers’ Association guidance emphasizes hydration, rest and gradual acclimatization during the opening weeks of training because athletes can face heightened susceptibility to exertional heat illness during that period.

That makes an independent accounting of what happened on August 20 essential — for Mayich, for his family and potentially for student-athletes well beyond Arizona State.

For now, the hockey world can only surround Matthew Mayich and his family with support while awaiting further information.

But eventually Arizona State, its athletic department and everyone involved in that morning’s workout will need to provide a complete account of how a 21-year-old student-athlete arrived for team conditioning and left fighting for his life.

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CrossTalk Media will continue to follow developments surrounding Matthew Mayich’s condition and the investigation at Arizona State as additional verified information becomes available.