Arizona State hockey players ‘scared’ to speak out after teammate was left in a coma in wake of brutal military-style workout in practice
The teammates of Arizona State hockey player Matthew Mayich are reportedly ‘scared’ to speak out after a controversial workout left him in a coma.
Mayich, 21, collapsed following a training session last month and is still in a coma fighting for his life in hospital with police launching an investigation into the incident.
After he was hospitalized, it emerged that the outdoor workout lasted around an hour and was considered ‘both atypical and extreme’ while Phoenix was witnessing soaring temperatures.
It has now been alleged that other members of the Arizona State men’s hockey team fear their minutes on the ice could be compromised if they talk amid the investigation.
‘These kids are scared,’ the Mayich family attorney, Rob Carey, told Us Weekly when asked about how the remaining players have been affected by the health scare.
‘The ones that are still there, they’re scared. They think they might lose their scholarships. They think the program might crumble. They might not get playing time if they cross the coach.’
Matthew Miyech collapsed after a workout at Arizona State last week
The 21-year-old, a former NHL Draft pick, is in a critical condition in hospital in a coma
The Arizona State police department has reportedly started questioning members of the Sun Devils hockey team as they investigate the incident.
‘As the investigator, you have to separate the witnesses from the people being investigated,’ Carey said. ‘When you have people in a hierarchical system like this, you need to put people on leave and do the investigation so that people have a safe space in which they can be honest. That’s all we ask. We just want them to be transparent and tell everybody what’s going on.’
He added: ‘I already know what’s going on. I’ve talked to enough people where I know what happened on the field that day. When I get my facts out, it’s going to be…it’s horrific. They didn’t plan it right, they didn’t execute it right and they weren’t prepared for the likely scenario of heat stroke. They were utterly unprepared for it.’
Carey added that the Mayich family is calling for a full and complete investigation, suggesting that the team’s coaches should be suspended for the duration of the probe.
The workout took place in Phoenix, which has been experiencing high temperatures with an extreme heat warning in place. The average temperature on the day it took place was 92.5 degrees, with an afternoon high of 106 degrees.
The session was led by an ex-Green Beret, Tim Ziesel, who was initially identified by The Arizona Republic. The former US special forces service member is a non-university employee and has declined to talk about the workout, saying he ‘didn’t know the whole situation’.
Players reportedly were put through their paces in a grueling session consisting of sprints, planks, push-ups and bear crawls. There was an emphasis on repeating instructions back to the instructor and keeping correct count of each exercise.
Players were allegedly forced to complete extra sprints or exercises if they failed either task or lagged behind other groups. It is claimed by The Athletic they were also told not to complain.
Mayich transferred to Arizona State this offseason from Clarkson University
The final activity was a run with a medicine ball the length of a football field and back, but the instructor is said to have left before that section was completed.
The Phoenix-based school confirmed earlier this week it was launching an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Chris Fiscus, Vice President of ASU media relations, said: ‘A student-athlete who collapsed during an outdoor exercise Thursday morning remains hospitalized.
‘The student-athlete, a member of the ASU hockey team, is not being named by the university because of privacy interests. The university is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the workout.’
After the new details emerged, an ASU spokesperson told the Daily Mail that ‘there are heat guidelines in place, informed by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.
‘The university also has institutional guidelines and requirements relating to the engagement of third parties or outside entities who interact with ASU student-athletes and sports programs. The university review will look at all aspects of last week’s workout.’
Mayich, a sophomore defenseman, started his college career at Clarkson before transferring to Arizona State this offseason.
He was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft and attended two prospect camps with the team in 2023 and 2024 but never signed an entry-level contract.
New details have emerged regarding the workout that took place before Miyech collapsed
‘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,’ the Blues’ statement said.
‘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.’
After being drafted, he finished a four-year career with the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s. He then joined Clarkson for the 2025-26 season, scoring 15 points on seven goals and eight assists.
‘The Ottawa 67’s are aware of the hospitalization of our former assistant captain, Matthew Mayich, and are keeping him and his family in our thoughts during this incredibly difficult time,’ the 67’s said in a release. ‘Out of respect for Matthew and his family’s privacy, the organization will not provide further comment at this time.’
Following the end of last season, Mayich announced in March that he would be transferring to ASU this season. He was one of 18 new players to join the team and NCAA heat safety guidelines note that players new to a program and climate could be particularly at risk.
