Matthew Mayich
Matthew Mayich

Disturbing footage of workout that left Matthew Mayich hospitalized released

The newly released video offers a chilling look at the session now under investigation.

Chris Gosselin

Chris Gosselin

Arizona State's hockey program has been engulfed in controversy since defenseman Matthew Mayich collapsed during an offseason outdoor workout on Aug. 20. But the situation took another troubling turn this week when video footage of the session was made public, giving the world its first real glimpse at what happened that day.

The footage, released via AZ Family Sports, shows the workout at the center of an ongoing investigation into how a 21-year-old St. Louis Blues prospect ended up in a hospital bed, where he reportedly remains in critical condition.

According to Rob Carey, the attorney representing Mayich's family, the defenseman suffered exertional heat stroke during the outdoor session, which reduced oxygen flow to his brain. Carey has stated that Mayich is unlikely to recover.

The video drew immediate and intense reaction online, with many expressing outrage that players were subjected to an outdoor workout in Arizona's extreme summer heat. Some commenters pointed to the visible exhaustion of the athletes in the footage, while others questioned how such a session was ever approved.

Those questions are at the heart of a broader investigation. Arizona State released a preliminary report revealing that head coach Greg Powers' staff never submitted a training plan for the Aug. 20 workout to the university's strength and conditioning department for review. The report also found that Tim Ziesel, the former Green Beret who led the outdoor session, did not hold a formal contract with the school.

Powers addressed reporters for the first time since the incident at a National Collegiate Hockey Conference news conference. He opened by saying he would not take questions about Mayich's collapse, calling it a difficult time for everyone in the program.

When ESPN's Katie Strang pressed him on whether his players should continue suiting up for him after witnessing what happened to their teammate, Powers pointed to his two decades of experience and relationship building. He did not directly address questions about accountability.

The ASU Police Department continues to investigate the collapse, and the university has indicated the resulting report will be forwarded to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for independent review. Carey has called for a fully independent probe into the incident.

Arizona State has also announced plans to assemble a panel of experts to develop new recommendations for outdoor athletic activities and the use of outside consultants.

The Sun Devils remain scheduled to open their season on Oct. 2 at Lindenwood with their coach under a cloud of scrutiny, while one of their own players is still unresponsive in a hospital bed.

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About the author

Chris Gosselin
Chris Gosselin

Writer

Christine has been a lifelong hockey fan ever since she fell for Mario Lemieux’ slick moves and Jaromir Jagr’s mullet. A professional writer, she joined Attraction Media in 2017. Since then, she has good reasons to watch all hockey games and can humiliate several men who can’t handle that a woman knows more about hockey than they ever will.

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