Three members of the Southern Alberta Mustangs were killed in a motor vehicle accident this morning.
The three players have been identified as 18-year-old JJ Wright and 18-year-old Cameron Casorso of Kamloops, along with 17-year-old Caden Fine of Birmingham, Alabama.
An official statement from the United States Premier Hockey League club says they were driving to practice at the time.
The fatal crash happened near the junction of Hwy 2 and Hwy 527 in the town of Stavely, where the USPHL club is based out of.
“There are no words that can adequately express the depth of our grief,” said the team statement issued Monday afternoon.
“These young men were more than hockey players – they were teammates, sons, brothers, friends and deeply loved members of our Mustang family and the communities we call home.
Wright and Casorso grew up playing with the Kamloops Minor Hockey Association and the organization issued a statement Monday evening.
It said the teenagers’ presence will be remembered by teammates, coaches and families throughout the community.
“These three young men were teammates and friends to many,” the statement added. “We are grieving together, as one hockey family forever changed by the loss of these young men.”
Both Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith took to social media to express their sorrow and condolences in the wake of the tragedy.
A GoFundMe created to assist with various costs that will be incurred by the players' families in the days ahead has already raised several thousand dollars.
