Eli Palfreyman in Captain Ayr Centennials uniform (Photo: Instagram)
The Canadian city of Cambridge is mourning the death of a local idol, Eli Palfreyman, captain of the Ayr Centennials junior hockey team. The athlete was 20 years old and died during the break of a team match, in his team’s locker room. According to the newspaper toronto sunthe causes of the incident are still under investigation by Canadian authorities.
The match in which Palfreyman died was part of his team’s pre-season friendlies. Doctors at the North Dumfries Community Complex arena were unable to resuscitate him.
“We ask for prayers and support for Eli’s family and for each of our players,” Brian Shantz, vice-president of the Ayr Centennials, said in a statement sent to Canadian media. “Our organization and the press release are in mourning. Eli was taken care of by the medical team”.
Eli Palfreyman in action for the Ayr Centennials (Photo: Instagram)
The Ayr Centennials are one of 25 Ontario Youth Hockey League teams. Palfreyman was in his second season with the team and had been chosen as team captain days before the game in which he died.
In one of his last Instagram posts, he celebrated the captain’s pin he will wear during the season: “It’s an honor to wear the C. Words fail to express this honor to return as a captain.”
The athlete’s death has resulted in the postponement of Ontario Youth Hockey League games. North Dumfries favorite Sue Foxton has ordered that for future matches in the city, the flags of Canada and the competing teams will be flown at half-mast, in tribute to Palfreyman.
A post from Ayr Centennials celebrating Eli Palfreyman’s birthday in March 2022 (Photo: Instagram)
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