ASU's Greg Powers: 'Right guy' despite Matthew Mayich collapse

Arizona State head hockey coach Greg Powers declined to answer questions Wednesday about a player's collapse during a team workout last month but says he still believes he is the right person to lead the team.

"There's obviously some things that have been said about me and I respect anything anybody has to say. But I believe I am the right guy, and 20 years of a body of work and building a program, almost 20 years now, I still believe that," Powers said during a news conference for the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.

It was the first time Powers has spoken publicly since St. Louis Blues prospect Matthew Mayich collapsed during an offseason workout on the morning of Aug. 20. Mayich has been hospitalized in critical condition after suffering exertional heat stroke that reduced the flow of oxygen to his brain and is unlikely to recover, according to his family's attorney, Rob Carey.

Powers opened the news conference Wednesday with a statement in which he said he would not be able to answer any questions about Mayich's collapse. He repeatedly declined to answer  questions from reporters about the incident, including whether he held himself responsible or whether he or his staff raised any concerns about the workout beforehand.

Assistant captain and junior forward Ben Muthersbaugh sat beside Powers at the news conference and told reporters that some of Mayich's teammates have visited him since his collapse.

"It's a super tough time right now. At the forefront of our mind is Matthew and his family," Muthersbaugh said. "It's tough to get ready for a season when this wrench was thrown in pretty early."

When asked by ESPN why his team should continue to play for him after witnessing what happened to their teammate, Powers said, "I have 20 years of experience here. And a lot of success with developing relationships that I value very much, that the players also value. Not everything is going to go perfectly, and I'm certainly far from that."

Powers played for Arizona State in the 1990s and has been the head coach since 2010.

When asked by ESPN whether he had spoken with Mayich's parents, Powers said he had but declined to give details about their conversation.

Powers spoke a day after the university issued a preliminary report in which it found that his coaching staff did not submit a training plan before the Aug. 20 workout to be reviewed by ASU's strength and conditioning coaches. The report also found that the former Green Beret who led the workout, Tim Ziesel, did not have a contract with the school.

Arizona State said it would form a panel of experts to make recommendations on outdoor athletic activities and the use of outside consultants.

The ASU Police Department is also investigating Mayich's collapse, and the school said the department's investigative report will be sent to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for independent review when complete.

Carey has called for an independent investigation into Mayich's collapse.

The Sun Devils open their season on Oct. 2 at Lindenwood.