Minor league hockey player dead at 25 after car accident in Canada

Minor league hockey player Orca Wiesblatt died in a car accident in Canada over the weekend, his agency and former team confirmed Monday. He was 25. 

O2K Sports Management released a statement confirming Wiesblatt’s death. 

“With heavy hearts, we mourn and share the sad news that Orca Wiesblatt has tragically passed away. Orca was an incredible person both on and off the ice. He brought his passion for the game of hockey along with kindness, humility, and his love for family everywhere he went,” the statement read. 

“Along with his siblings, Orca helped raise awareness for the deaf community and highlighted the importance of learning and using American Sign Language. Orca will be deeply missed by everyone at O2K, and our thoughts are with the Wiesblatt family during this incredibly difficult time.” 

Wiesblatt played for the Athens Rock Lobsters of the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) last season. The team released a statement confirming that the young player died “following a traffic accident” in British Columbia early Sunday morning. 

Other details surrounding the accident were not immediately known.  

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“Orca will always be remembered as one of the players who helped set the tone for our franchise in its very first season,” team president Scott Hull said in a statement. “His passion for the game and his infectious energy made him a fan favorite and a true teammate. But more than that, Orca was an even better person off the ice – kind, humble, and someone everyone was grateful to know. We are devastated by this loss and our thoughts are with his family.”

According to the team’s website, Wiesblatt was a Calgary native who played hockey in several minor and junior leagues, including the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). He signed with the Allen Americans of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) last month before the start of the new season.

“We are all heartbroken,” head coach and general manager Steve Martinson said. “Orca (Wiesblatt) was really looking forward to this next step in his hockey career.  He wasn’t just skilled, he was a momentum changing hitter. I can still see his grin when he would return to the bench after one of his big hits. That is what we will miss the most, his infectious smile.”

Wiesblatt is one of five siblings and the son of two deaf parents. All four sons played hockey, and despite the financial struggles their mother faced raising them alone, they were able to continue to pursue the sport at an elite level. 

Ozzy Wiesblatt, Orca’s younger brother, made his NHL debut for the Nashville Predators in January. 

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