Three teenage players from the Southern Alberta Mustangs died in a tragic vehicle collision in Alberta, Canada, while heading to practice. The victims included American Caden Fine and two Canadians from British Columbia. Tributes have poured in from officials, the team, and the hockey community.
On Monday morning, a devastating crash claimed the lives of three young members of the Southern Alberta Mustangs junior hockey team as they traveled from Nanton to Stavely for practice. The incident occurred around 11:00 local time at an intersection on Highway 2 in Stavely, about an hour south of Calgary. According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a northbound semi-truck pulling gravel collided with the eastbound small passenger vehicle carrying the players.
The victims were identified as 17-year-old Caden Fine from Birmingham, Alabama, and 18-year-olds Cameron Casorso and JJ Wright, both from Kamloops, British Columbia. All three were pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver, a 40-year-old man from Stavely, sustained minor injuries and received treatment on-site. Police are investigating the cause of the crash.
The Southern Alberta Mustangs, part of the US Premier Hockey League, expressed profound grief in a statement: "There are no words that can adequately express the depth of our grief. 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."
Caden Fine had joined the Mustangs for the 2025-2026 season after playing for the Birmingham Jr. Bulls from 2021 to 2023. The Bulls issued a statement: "This is a heartbreaking day for our entire hockey community. We extend our deepest condolences to Caden's family, friends, and teammates during this unimaginable time. Once a Jr Bull, always a Jr Bull."
A GoFundMe for Fine's family had raised over $10,000 by Tuesday afternoon. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney shared his sorrow: "A nightmare of every parent, every teammate, family, friends. My heart goes out to the families of the victims and the team."
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith offered condolences: "The whole Alberta hockey family is standing with you in sorrow and in prayer." Nanton Mayor Jen Handley, noting the players lived with billet families, wrote: "We don't just 'host' these boys. They become part of our homes... Your sons mattered, and they will be spoken of with love in our towns for a long time to come."
The Kamloops Minor Hockey Association remembered Casorso and Wright, who grew up in their organization. The Calgary Flames extended support, and a moment of silence was held before their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs that night. At Stavely's arena, jerseys bearing the players' names were draped over a table with hockey sticks.
The tragedy evokes memories of past incidents in Canadian junior hockey, including the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash that killed 16 people.
