Report: Blues prospect Matthew Mayich has ‘zero chance of recovery’ following collapse at ASU, lawyer says
A concerning development regarding an unfortunate saga out west.
According to a story by Robert Anglen of The Arizona Republic, a lawyer representing St. Louis Blues prospect Matthew Mayich is accusing Arizona State University of failing to properly investigate the events that led to Mayich collapsing during an intense offseason workout in the Tempe heat.
Lawyer Robert Carey stated that Mayich, who fell into a coma at Sun Angel Stadium on the morning of Aug. 20, notes that Mayich has “zero chance of recovery.” He also rebuts the school’s report that the workout wasn’t as hard as some made it seem to be. In an interview, Carey noted that the school’s investigation undermined the severity of the workouts.
“My investigation shows the storyline is completely false,” Carey said to The Arizona Republic. “This case has shattered (Mayich’s) life. He deserves, and his family deserves, a proper investigation.”
Per a report from The Athletic, the workout Mayich and other members of the Sun Devils men’s hockey program did was a “military-style workout,” run by Tim Zeisel, a non-ASU employee and former military service member, in temperatures just under 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Carey stated that he interviewed several players, who noted that Zeisel yelled at the players as if he were a drill instructor, limting water intake to those who worked harder than others. The athletes were also informed not to complain, as well, leading to a very hostile 50-minute exercise.
Sun Devils head coach Greg Powers requested Zeisel to run the workout. Zeisel’s attorney, Buddy Rake, stated that the workout only resembled a military exercise, focusing on team-building rather than proverbial torture.
“This was not a Green Beret or SEAL workout. Far from it,” Rake said in an interview on Aug. 27. “The head coach, assistant coaches and medical were always present.”
The workout was scheduled to the be the first of three days with Zeisel in charge. Carey stated that he had no confidence in ASU senior vice presdient James Rund, who was leading the school-issued investigation.
“The president of the university needs to put out the truth,” Carey said.
Mayich was taken by the Blues in the sixth round, 170th overall, of the 2023 NHL Draft. He was joining the Sun Devils program after spending his freshman season at Clarkson University.
