Matthew Mayich still hospitalized as ASU investigates

Matthew Mayich, an Arizona State hockey defenseman and St. Louis Blues draft pick, remains hospitalized after collapsing during an outdoor Thursday morning workout that Tempe Fire Medical Rescue treated as heat-related illness. The university is reviewing the circumstances; it has not confirmed whether the session was team-sanctioned.

Key Takeaways

• Matthew Mayich collapsed during an outdoor exercise Thursday morning and remained hospitalized days later.
• Tempe Fire Medical Rescue responded at 8:31 a.m. to Sun Angel Stadium for a reported heat-related illness and transported a patient to a nearby hospital.
• Arizona State is reviewing the workout; a university spokesperson declined to say whether it was team-sanctioned.
• The St. Louis Blues, who drafted Mayich in 2023, issued a statement of support as he continues medical treatment in Arizona.
• Phoenix was under an extreme heat warning that week, with Thursday’s average temperature at 92.5°F and a high of 106°F.

What happened to Matthew Mayich during the ASU workout?

Arizona State is investigating an outdoor workout that led a men’s hockey player to collapse and require hospitalization after a team exercise Thursday morning, a university spokesperson told The Athletic on Tuesday night.

Matthew Mayich, a defenseman for Arizona State and a St. Louis Blues draft pick, remained hospitalized Tuesday, according to a person close to the family who spoke on condition of anonymity. Local reporting later identified him as a sophomore defenseman from Ontario, Canada, preparing for his first season with the Sun Devils while wearing No. 27.

Chris Fiscus, vice president of ASU media relations, said a student-athlete who collapsed during an outdoor exercise Thursday morning remains hospitalized. The university is not naming the athlete because of privacy interests and is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the workout, Fiscus said.

Tempe Fire Medical Rescue sent crews to 400 S. Rural Road—the address for Sun Angel Stadium—at 8:31 a.m. Thursday after a report of a “heat-related illness.” A patient was treated there and transported to a nearby hospital, the fire department said, according to The Athletic.

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Why does Arizona State’s investigation matter right now?

The review matters because it is still unclear whether the exercise was an officially sanctioned university practice, an informal team gathering, or a solo workout. Fiscus declined to answer whether the team sanctioned the session.

NCAA rules allow college hockey teams to start formal activities as soon as classes have started, and ASU began its fall semester Thursday, The Athletic reported. That timing puts the workout at the start of the school year, when many students and athletes are still adjusting to Phoenix heat.

AZ Family noted that Thursday morning was cooler than previous days after monsoon storms overnight, though still potentially dangerous for intense outdoor training. Officials said the workout did not occur during the hottest part of the day, even as the exact time remains unclear beyond the fire department’s morning response.

The average temperature in the Phoenix area on Thursday was 92.5 degrees, according to the National Weather Service, and an extreme heat warning was in effect all week. The high temperature reached 106 degrees that afternoon, per The Athletic’s reporting.

Who is Matthew Mayich, and what have the Blues said?

Mayich is 21. The Blues drafted him with the 170th pick in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft. He attended two prospect camps with the team in 2023 and 2024 but never signed an entry-level contract.

After being drafted, he finished a four-year career with the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s, then joined Clarkson University for one season in 2025-26. Sportsnet reported he scored seven goals and 15 points in 34 games as a freshman at Clarkson. After that season ended in March, he announced a transfer to ASU and was preparing to play his sophomore season with the Sun Devils in 2026-27.

On Wednesday, Blues president of hockey operations Doug Armstrong released a statement: “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.”

AZ Family also reported that on Tuesday the Canadian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce held a candlelight vigil for Mayich, asking for prayers and support for the sophomore and his family.

How dangerous was training in Phoenix’s heat that week?

Dr. Frank LoVecchio, an emergency physician and professor at ASU, told AZ Family that training in such conditions is extremely difficult. “It’s very, very hard to train in this heat,” he said, adding that even elite, highly conditioned athletes can struggle when pushed in extreme temperatures.

LoVecchio warned that body temperature can rise quickly and that prolonged hard exercise in Arizona heat often requires assistance. He stressed the risk of serious outcomes when athletes push through dangerous conditions—an urgent reminder as campus life resumed under a First Alert weather warning and triple-digit forecasts.

Mayich is new to the Phoenix area, AZ Family reported, which heightens concern about heat acclimatization for transfers arriving from cooler climates such as Ontario and upstate New York–area college hockey.

As of Tuesday, ASU’s review was ongoing and Mayich remained hospitalized days after the Thursday morning collapse. No public update from the university named a specific diagnosis beyond the heat-related response described by emergency crews, and the school continued to withhold the athlete’s name for privacy while independent reporting identified Matthew Mayich.

Supporters, teammates, and the Blues organization are focused on his recovery while Arizona State examines how the outdoor workout unfolded. Further clarity will depend on the university’s review and any additional medical updates shared by those authorized to speak for the family.