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The Carolina Hurricanes announced on Monday that forward Stelio Mattheos will be out indefinitely, and will miss the team’s upcoming training camp, after being diagnosed with testicular cancer following the Charlotte Checkers’ 2019 Calder Cup championship.
Mattheos, who made his professional debut on an amateur tryout deal with the Checkers in the spring, was in line to take part in Hurricanes camp this fall as part of his first full professional season. Instead, according to a statement released by the team today, two days following the Checkers’ championship the forward discovered a cancerous mass that required treatment involving chemotherapy as well as surgery to remove one testicle. The team indicates that Mattheos expects to return to full health following the conclusion of treatment and will resume his training for the 2019-20 season when cleared by his doctors.
Mattheos is the latest in a line of NHL players diagnosed with testicular cancer in recent years. Most famously, Arizona Coyotes forward Phil Kessel was treated and made a full recovery from the disease in 2006, his rookie season with the Boston Bruins. In 2012, Brandon Davidson, a defenseman then in the Edmonton Oilers system, was diagnosed and successfully treated in the first part of his rookie professional season. Mattheos’ surgery was performed at Grace Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and the treatment was supervised at Cancer Care Manitoba.
The Canes Country community offers its best wishes to Mattheos in his fight. The release from the team is below.
MATTHEOS UNDERGOING CANCER TREATMENT
Forward was diagnosed with cancer following Calder Cup championship
Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that forward Stelio Mattheos will miss the team’s 2019 training camp, as he completes treatments for testicular cancer.
Mattheos, 20, was diagnosed with testicular cancer in June, just two days after helping the Charlotte Checkers capture the 2019 Calder Cup as American Hockey League (AHL) champions. After consultation with physicians, the Winnipeg native underwent surgery to remove one testicle, and has since completed multiple courses of chemotherapy over the past two months. Mattheos is expected to return to full health, and he looks forward to resuming his training for the 2019-20 season as soon as his treatments are complete and he receives clearance.
“I’d like to thank everyone who reached out to offer support and well wishes since the diagnosis,” said Mattheos. “I’ve had amazing support from my friends, family, teammates, coaches and all of the hockey organizations I’ve been a part of, including the Hurricanes, Checkers and Brandon Wheat Kings.
“I owe a debt of gratitude to my surgeon, Dr. Sabeer Rehsia, and all of the staff at Grace Hospital, as well as Dr. Piotr Czaykowski at Cancer Care Manitoba and all of the nurses on the chemotherapy ward.”
The Hurricanes’ third round selection, 73rd overall, in the 2017 NHL Draft, Mattheos joined the Checkers for the stretch run of their regular season and played in 14 Calder Cup playoff games, totaling four points (3g, 1a). He completed his junior career with Brandon with back-to-back 40-goal seasons, netting 44 goals and adding 52 assists (96 points) in 65 Western Hockey League (WHL) contests in 2018-19.
The Hurricanes organization asks that you please respect the privacy of Mattheos and his family as he continues his recovery.