Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died at the age of 24 after his involvement in a “tragic accident”. He suffered an apparent head injury in a fall, ESPN reported.

“Medical personnel were called immediately, but he succumbed a short time later,” the team said in a statement.

“We are shocked and saddened by the loss of Matiss Kivlenieks, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his mother, Astrida, his family and friends during this devastating time,” Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson said in a statement.

“Kivi was an outstanding young man who greeted every day and everyone with a smile and the impact he had during his four years with our organization will not be forgotten,” the statement added.

For the Blue Jackets, Kivlenieks started in two games last season and had recently played for Latvia at the IIHF World Championships.

In his NHL career, he has played eight total games and was touted to play more next season.

“One thing I loved and appreciated about him was he had a great smile and always was in a good mood,” ESPN quoted former Blue Jackets captain as saying.

“I know it’s cliché, but that’s exactly the kind of guy he was. Just enjoying his life as a 24-year-old living out his dream and you could tell he didn’t take one day for granted, which makes this tragedy even more hard to bear. Praying for his family and all of us who knew him. Hard day for a lot of people in that organisation,” he further added.

Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen expressed grief at the incident. He tweeted: “Life is so precious and can be so fragile. Hug your loved ones today. RIP Matiss, you will be dearly missed.”

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman issued a statement on Kivlenieks’ death.

“On behalf of the NHL family, we extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and teammates in both the Blue Jackets organization and his native country of Latvia,” Bettman said.

“His love for life and passion for the game will be deeply missed by all those who have been fortunate to have him as a teammate and a friend,” his statement further read.

Undrafted, Kivlenieks signed with Columbus as a free agent in 2017. He debuted for the NHL at Madison Square Garden on January 2, 2020. On his debut match, he stopped 31 of 32 shots to beat the New York Rangers 2-1.