MacEwan hockey player's jersey number retired on anniversary of his death

In a touching tribute to an Edmonton university student and hockey player on the anniversary of his death, the MacEwan University Griffins retired Nakehko Lamothe's jersey number on Saturday.

The packed crowd inside MacEwan's Downtown Community Arena, including family members and former teammates, gave a standing ovation as Lamothe's number 28 banner was unveiled in a pre-game ceremony.

"He represented everything that we want our student athletes to be," coach Mike Ringrose said.

"He was a great, dedicated athlete on the ice, but he was also a great student and he was selfless and a contributor in the community. So to put that number in the rafters as a certain reminder of what we're striving to do as a program is pretty special."

The 23-year-old, who was a member of the Liidlii Kue First Nation near Fort Simpson, about 600 kilometres west of Yellowknife, N.W.T., died of cardiac arrest on Jan. 25, 2019 after a hockey game in Calgary.

He grew up in Calling Lake, Alta., about 200 kilometres north of Edmonton.

The ceremony was held Sunday before the Griffins game against the Augustana Vikings. Lamothe was remembered as having been a source of inspiration in his home community and university, for his excellence as an athlete, a student, and his dedication to fitness and nutrition.

Former teammate Ryan Baskerville said it was "incredible" to see his friend being honoured.

"Since he passed, this last year I came to realize just how many people he's affected and he was a role model for so many kids," Baskerville said. "Some of the stuff that he did for Indigenous youth in his community and here ... and didn't expect any credit for, it's incredible and it's nice to see."

Lamothe's number 28 will be enshrined on MacEwan's wall of champions at the Downtown Community Arena.