Matthew Mayich will not recover, according to the attorney representing his family. Mayich, 21, is an Arizona State hockey player and St. Louis Blues prospect.
The publication College Hockey News spoke with the family’s attorney, Rob Carey.
Carey, a high-profile attorney in the sports world, also represented Ed O’Bannon and Sam Kellar. Their case is considered the landmark legal victory that resulted in the name, image and likeness rights wins for college athletes.
He confirmed that Mayich, who collapsed last month during a preseason workout, has “zero chance of recovery.”
The St. Louis Blues released the following statement last week:
“The entire Blues organization is keeping Matthew Mayich close to our hearts as we pray for his comfort and recovery while he continues to undergo medical treatment in Arizona. His agent has kept us informed about Matthew’s medical status over the last week and we extend our deepest support to his family, friends and teammates during this difficult time.”
The full extent of Mayich’s condition is not known. Specifics surrounding any injuries suffered during the exercise are not clear.
Matthew Mayich Collapses in Preseason Workout
Mayich participated in a training session on August 20, which is the first day of the Arizona State fall semester. The NCAA does not permit hockey teams to begin working out before the first day of the fall semester.
The Athletic reported that the hour-long workout consisted of sprints, planks, push-ups and bear crawls, with participants also verbally engaged in the exercise’s instructions and count. Tim Ziesel, a non-university employee, conducted the workout. USA Today reports the Arizona State hockey player collapsed during what’s being described as a ‘military-style’ workout.
Crews with the Tempe Fire Medical Rescue responded to the track at Arizona State’s facilities on August 20 around 8:30 a.m. locally. Temperatures were reported to be at least 87 degrees at the time of the workout.
Carey believed the exercise was ‘grueling, onerous and dangerous.’ He has simultaneously accused Arizona State of ‘pushing a false narrative’ about the workout that day.
Arizona State is now conducting an internal review. The school reportedly does have internal heat illness guidelines in place for Arizona State hockey players and other athletes.
Matthew Mayich is hospitalized at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, according to The Arizona Republic.
Life Before Arizona State
Matthew Mayich, a 2023 sixth-round pick of the St. Louis Blues, transferred to Arizona State after the 2025-26 season ended. He spent his freshman year at Clarkson University, scoring 15 points in 34 games. Now 21, he starred for the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s for four seasons.
Mayich was likely an NHL long shot, but he had the potential for a long professional hockey career. Elite Prospects described him as a potential future depth player in their 2023 scouting report on Mayich. They praised him for having modern defenseman qualities.
The Blues drafted Mayich at 170th overall in 2023. He attended prospect camps with the Blues in 2023 and 2024.
Blues Prospect Matthew Mayich Will Not Recover, Report Says