Pro hockey forward and former WHL player Orca Wiesblatt has died, the Athens Rock Lobsters announced Monday.
Wiesblatt was killed in a traffic accident in British Columbia on the morning of Sunday, Sept. 14. He was 25.
Wiesblatt was part of the Rock Lobsters' inaugural season in the Federal Prospects Hockey League in 2024-25, recording 17 goals and 42 points in 37 games. It was his first full season since 2019-20, when he was still in the WHL, as he dealt with a shortened 2020-21 season due to COVID-19 and with injuries in between.
Earlier in September, he signed a contract with the ECHL's Allen Americans for the 2025-26 season.
"Orca will always be remembered as one of the players who helped set the tone for our franchise in its very first season," Rock Lobsters president Scott Hull said in a statement. "His passion for the game and his infectious energy made him a fan favorite and a true teammate.
"But more than that, Orca was an even better person off the ice – kind, humble, and someone everyone was grateful to know. We are devastated by this loss and our thoughts are with his family."
Added Americans coach-GM Steve Martinson: "We are all heartbroken. Orca was really looking forward to this next step in his hockey career. He wasn’t just skilled, he was a momentum changing hitter. I can still see his grin when he would return to the bench after one of his big hits. That is what we will miss the most, his infectious smile."
Before Wiesblatt's pro career began, he played four seasons with the WHL's Calgary Hitmen from 2017-18 to 2020-21. From 2016-17 to 2018-19, he also played parts of seasons on Jr. A teams, including the Brooks Bandits and Portage Terriers.
Wiesblatt and his brothers – FPHL player Ocean Wiesblatt and AHL Milwaukee forwards Ozzy and Oasiz Wiesblatt – are the sons of deaf parents. They and their sister, Oceania, grew up in Kelowna, B.C., before moving to Calgary in 2013. Less than a year later, their parents separated.
Their mother, Kim White, worked multiple jobs so that they could all play hockey.
"You don't hear of a lot of people that have five kids in their family, four of them playing high elite hockey," Orca Wiesblatt said on a Sportsnet feature of the family in 2019. "She sacrificed everything she did. I mean, she's a hero to us."
Their family's use of American Sign Language has helped raise awareness for the deaf community and the impact of learning the language.