NHL
The players were members of the United States Premier Hockey League's Southern Alberta Mustangs. Luke Hales / Getty Images
Three junior hockey players from the Southern Alberta Mustangs were killed in a motor vehicle crash while traveling to a practice Monday, the team said in a statement.
“There are no words that can adequately express the depth of our grief,” the statement read. “These young men were more than hockey players — they were teammates, sons, brothers, friends, and deeply loved members of our Mustangs family and the communities we call home.
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“Our hearts are with the families, friends, billet families, teammates, coaches and everyone who loved them. We ask that their families be given privacy and compassion as they navigate this devastating loss.”
In a message of condolence on X, Danielle Smith, the Alberta premier, identified the players as JJ Wright, Cameron Casorso and Caden Fine.
The Mustangs play in the United States Premier Hockey League and are based in Stavely, Alta., which is 72 miles (117 kilometers) south of Calgary. More than 150 junior teams in multiple divisions across the U.S. and Canada compete in the USPHL.
The Southern Alberta club last played on Thursday, besting the Diamond Valley Rockies in a shootout. The next game is scheduled for Sunday against the Calgary Bandits. The Mustangs said they are working with authorities, “and will support our players, staff, and families in every way possible during this incredibly difficult time.”
In closing, the team said, “We are a family and today, our family is hurting.”
My heart breaks for the families of the three young hockey players killed in a car accident near Stavely, Alberta.
Canadians are keeping the entire Southern Alberta Mustangs community in our thoughts as they face this unimaginable grief.
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) February 3, 2026
Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the news in a post on X, writing that his heart broke “for the families of the three young hockey players,” who were killed. “Canadians are keeping the entire Southern Alberta Mustangs community in our thoughts as they face this unimaginable grief,” he wrote.
Our deepest condolences go out to the family, friends, and teammates of the three Southern Alberta Mustangs players who tragically passed away in a motor vehicle accident.
Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who knew them ❤️
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) February 3, 2026
The Calgary Flames offered their condolences on X to the “family, friends and teammates of the three Southern Alberta Mustangs players who tragically passed away in a motor vehicle accident.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who knew them.”
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The Flames also held a moment of silence ahead of their game versus the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.
The tragedy comes days after a snowplow from the Colorado Department of Transportation collided with a van carrying members of the Santa Clarita Lady Flyers 12AA girls hockey team from California, killing the van’s driver and injuring eight of the nine passengers in the van. One suffered critical injuries, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
The driver, according to widespread media reports, was the father of one of the players. The Lady Flyers continued to play and won the Western Girls Hockey Championship in Littleton, Colo.
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Eric Stephens is a staff writer for The Athletic NHL based in Southern California. Eric has been writing and talking about sports for newspapers and media outlets for more than 30 years. He has previously covered the NHL for The Orange County Register and Los Angeles Times. He is also an occasional contributor on NHL Network. Follow Eric on Twitter @icemancometh
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