NHL star and Latvian national ice hockey goalkeeper Matiss Kivlenieks has died at the age of 24. According to his club, he was killed in a tragic accident.
The Latvian national ice hockey goalkeeper Matiss Kivlenieks of the NHL club Columbus Blue Jackets has died at the age of only 24. As his club announced on Monday, he was killed in a “tragic accident” on Sunday evening.
Suspected cause of death
As the police in Novi / Michigan said, fireworks malfunctioned at a private party on the US National Day. As a result, several people “fled from a hot tub”, including Kivlenieks. “The deceased slipped when leaving the hot tub, fell and hit his head on the concrete,” said Jason Meier of the Novi police. The medical staff summoned could do nothing, and Kivlenieks died a short time later. “At the moment we are assuming a tragic accident,” said Meier.
NHL: Kivlenieks was under contract with the Blue Jackets
“We are shocked and saddened by the loss of Matiss Kivlenieks, and we express our deepest condolences to his mother Astrida, family and friends at this devastating time,” said Jackets President John Davidson. Kivlenieks had signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets before the 2017/18 season, but played mostly in the American Hockey League with the Cleveland Monsters. He made his NHL debut on January 19, 2020 and made a total of eight NHL appearances. Most recently he was in action for his country at the home World Cup in Riga.
The NHL also expressed their condolences. “The National Hockey League was shocked to learn of the sudden and tragic death of goalkeeper Matiss Kivlenieks,” said Commissioner Gary Bettman. “On behalf of the NHL family, we express our deepest condolences to his family, friends and teammates in both the Blue Jackets organization and in his native Latvia.”
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