Jordan Mistelbacher was found dead Tuesday morning. He was just 19-years-old.
He had just come back home to Winnipeg after being traded to the Winnipeg Saints hockey club.
It was the last thing Coach Doug Stokes expected to hear when he called a player who missed practice.
"We lost a young man that had his life ahead of him and full of life and it's just a very tragic sad thing," said Stokes.
Mistelbacher had just returned to the city, traded to the Winnipeg Saints from a team in Washington State.
He was going to wear number 18. His first game was set for Friday.
The exact cause of death is still not known. His family is waiting for the results of a toxicology report. He had just turned 19-years-old and had been out with friends to celebrate his birthday the night he died. There are questions about alcohol consumption, but nothing concrete.
The saints are part of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The league is concerned about the dangers drugs and alcohol poses to players.
Two-years-ago, the MJHL instituted a mandatory safety and performance policy.
It was a program that would provide players with education about substance and drug awareness.
"The focus and the purpose in it was to be proactive and to try and provide information and education to players so they can make good choices," said league commissioner Kim Davis.
The MJHL is the only junior 'A' league in Canada with a program like it.
Jordan Mistelbacher the player will be missed on the ice, but it's clear from Facebook tributes that Jordan the young man will be missed more.
"He's always gonna be with us, he's gonna be in the back of our minds he's gonna be front and centre," said Coach Stokes.
The saints will dedicate the current hockey season to Jordan Mistelbacher. That dedication will start with a moment of silence before Friday's game.
With a report from CTV's Caroline Barghout
