A devastating crash in Canada has claimed the lives of three teenage junior hockey players, including a 17-year-old from Alabama, as they were traveling to team practice.
The Southern Alberta Mustangs confirmed the tragedy in a statement shared on Facebook Monday, saying three of their players were killed in a motor vehicle accident earlier that day.
According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a car carrying players JJ Wright, Cameron Casorso, and Caden Fine collided with a gravel-hauling semi-truck in Stavely, roughly 10 miles south of Calgary, around 11 a.m. local time. The 40-year-old truck driver suffered minor injuries, police said.
Casorso, a goaltender, and Wright, a forward, were both 18-year-olds from Kamloops, British Columbia. Fine, a forward, was just 17 years old and hailed from Birmingham, Alabama. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
“There are no words that can adequately express the depth of our grief,” the Mustangs wrote. “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.”
The team said it is working closely with authorities as the investigation continues and is focused on supporting players, staff, and the families affected by the loss. “We are a family, and today our family is hurting,” the statement added.
The tragedy has rippled throughout the hockey world. The Kamloops Minor Hockey Association released its own message of sorrow, saying the loss has deeply shaken the community. “These three young men were teammates and friends to many,” the association said. “We are grieving together as one hockey family.”
The Southern Alberta Mustangs are based in Stavely and are competing in their first season in the US Premier Hockey League’s Premier Division, according to the Calgary Herald.
By Monday evening, a memorial honoring the three players — complete with jerseys and hockey sticks — had been set up at the Stavely Arena, as teammates, fans, and community members gathered to mourn.
The loss also drew national attention. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote on X that his “heart breaks for the families of the three young hockey players,” adding that Canadians were keeping the entire Mustangs community in their thoughts.
The tragedy was further honored during the NHL on Monday night, when the Calgary Flames held a moment of silence before their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Good heavens! How very tragic. I can’t imagine the nightmare of losing my son, especially so young. May God wrap His comforting arms around these families. 😢
Now they play on the Lords team!
Bobby Hull, Gordie Howe, Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and Mark Johnson might have something to say about that.