Story summary
Seven members of Arizona State’s hockey team anonymously sent a letter through attorney Timothy J. Casey to President Michael Crow on Monday, calling for the coaching staff to be placed on administrative leave until an independent investigation is completed into the collapse of their teammate Matthew Mayich during an outdoor workout on Aug. 20. The players fear retaliation from head coach Greg Powers and his assistant coaches, who control playing time, scholarship levels, and roster status. The letter disputes ASU’s initial probe, which stated that Mayich received proper hydration and care after collapsing; the players assert he did not receive adequate medical attention or hydration during the workout.
The parents of Matthew Mayich, John and Christina Mayich, also called for coaches involved to be placed on leave in a statement sent through their lawyer. In response, ASU athletic director Graham Rossini announced that head coach Greg Powers has been put on paid administrative leave pending an independent investigation into the incident.
NCHC supports this decision, stating it aligns with providing stability and support for both Matthew Mayich and the hockey program during these challenging times.
Written for “Arizona State Hockey Scandal” on 2026-10-04,
grounded in this article and the 13 other(s) covering the same event.
Arizona State University announced Wednesday it has put hockey coach Greg Powers on leave following the collapse of player Matthew Mayich during a summer team workout.
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it → announce → workout
Mayich, 21, remains on life support and is unlikely to recover, according to family attorney Rob Carey.
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Mayich → remain → Carey
In response to the announcement, Carey said in an interview with NBC Nightly News that the family has said “since day one” that the entire coaching staff needed to be put on administrative leave.
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staff → say → leave
ASU has left in place another assistant coach who is good friends with the head coach “and that needs to change,” the attorney said.
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attorney → leave → coach
“They did nothing right, literally nothing,” Carey said of the ASU coaching staff during the workout.
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Carey → do → workout
“And as a result (of) what should have been a very preventable workout problem, heatstroke, a man is on life support and unlikely to come off of it,” he said.
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he → come → it
“He’s incapacitated, and there’s almost no chance of recovery.
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He → ’ → recovery
But the family’s very devout, and they want to give their son a chance for a miracle,” Carey said.
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Carey → ’ → miracle
ASU did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News on the family’s allegations and demands for an independent investigation.
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ASU → respond → investigation
But in its announcement on Powers’ leave, ASU Athletics Director Graham Rossini stated that the school’s “focus continues to be on Matthew and his family” and all student-athletes, to make sure they have “the support they need during this time and as the season begins.”
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season → state → time
“We have continued to collect as much information as possible.
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We → continue → information
After thorough and careful deliberation, I believe this is the best move to provide stability for the hockey program,” Rossini said.
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Rossini → believe → program
Assistant Coach Mike Corbett will be leading the team this weekend for the season opener and an interim head coach would be named soon, according to the statement.
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coach → lead → statement
Mayich collapsed during an outdoor workout on Aug. 20.
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Mayich → collapse → Aug.
He suffered extreme heatstroke and has been hospitalized since his collapse.
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He → suffer → collapse
Mayich’s parents, John and Christina Mayich, and seven other players from the hockey team called on Tuesday for coaches involved to be placed on leave and for an independent investigation.
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coaches → call → investigation
The seven players, who did not share their names, submitted through their attorney a letter to ASU President Michael Crow disputing the school’s account of what occurred.
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what → share → account
In the letter, the players said they were afraid of being retaliated against because the coaches “decide our playing time, scholarship levels, and roster status.”
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coaches → say → time
Although Carey said putting Powers on leave is a step in the right direction, he said there are players whose safety remains at risk and “retaliation is still possible.”
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retaliation → say → risk
The athletes’ 26-page letter describes a workout session led by an Army veteran, a former Green Beret, on a day the afternoon high temperature was 104 degrees and the low was 74, according National Weather Service data.
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low → describe → data
They portray the workout as one that did not include required emergency gear on site, including a tub of water for cooling off.
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that → portray → water
The athletes said in their letter that a training plan was not submitted to all the coaches.
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plan → say → coaches
In its report, ASU said temperatures were between 86 and 89 degrees during the workout, with relative humidity between 51% and 46%.
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temperatures → say → 51
The ASU report also stated that an athletic trainer evaluated Mayich’s condition, put cool water and iced towels on him and told him to stay down; he then called 911 and directed student-athletes to help move him to the shade.
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he → state → shade
The players’ letter alleges the university’s temperature and humidity figures “understate conditions on the field.”
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figures → allege → field
The players noted that Mayich was new to Arizona, having been in the area for only eight days and having been involved in the hockey program for five.
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Mayich → note → five
Drafted by the St. Louis Blues, Mayich is from Hamilton, Ontario, according to the NHL.
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Mayich → draft → NHL
The players said that Mayich got no water during a break that lasted only seconds, because he was one of several players who did not reach the water on time before they were “pushed directly into the next task.”
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they → say → task
The players said Powers characterized Mayich’s condition after his collapse as “just a little heat stroke” of the type he has seen before, according to their letter.
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he → say → letter
Carey said putting staff on leave and hiring an outside investigator is fundamental when things such as this occur.
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things → say → this
In an interview with Canadian Broadcasting Company earlier this month, Mayich’s mother, Christina, said her son “was so excited to come to ASU — he said the facilities are even better live, because we watch it on YouTube and pictures and he just said it’s exciting.”
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it → say → YouTube
She said they’re taking her son’s situation “day by day.”
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they → say → day
“Anybody who could send prayers for Matthew, it would be greatly appreciated because right now that’s what we need,” Christina Mayich said.
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Mayich → send → what
The Aporia
