Tributes pour in for Eli Palfreyman, Ontario junior hockey captain who died after collapsing at tourney

Eli Palfreyman was the kind of hockey player you wanted on your team and you didn't want to have to play against, says the Ayr Centennials' vice-president, among those paying tribute to the popular captain who died this week during a junior tournament.

"Eli was the wonderful captain that we were looking forward to have," Shantz said Thursday outside the North Dumfries Community Complex in the southern Ontario community. 

"As a captain on the ice, nobody took liberties with any of our players or they were going to hear from Eli," Shantz said. "The other players respected him for that. They knew that he had their back."

Last week, Palfreyman, 20, of Cambridge, Ont., was named captain of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) team.

He died after collapsing Tuesday night in the change room during the second intermission of a pre-season tournament game against the Boston Jr. Bruins at the complex.

The exact cause of Palfreyman's death has not yet been released.

Shantz said the team's trainer had been on the ice with another player who had been hurt when shouts came from the Centennials' dressing room.

Palfreyman's mother, who is a nurse and was in the stands, made her way to the dressing room while the team's trainer started chest compressions.

Shantz said that when Palfreyman was taken to hospital by ambulance, they were told he had a weak pulse.

Between 1:30 a.m. and 2 a.m. ET Wednesday, Shantz got the call that Palfreyman had died.

His passing has shaken the community of fewer than 5,000 people, said Mayor Sue Foxton, but it's also led to an outpouring of support.

"All my children played hockey. I played hockey for Ayr, my husband played. So we know — and it's a great sorrow," said Foxton.

"This touched everyone.