Coyotes, Valley hockey community mourn passing of Matt Shott

Social media tributes poured in Sunday upon the news that Arizona Coyotes Senior Director of Hockey Development Matt Shot had died that morning, after a 10-month fight with liver cancer.

Shott, 34, was remembered as a tireless advocate for the growth of hockey in Arizona, a youth girls coach whose work increased greatly the participation in hockey among young girls, and a well-liked co-worker who humbly shunned the spotlight and used work as a way to find joy despite the fatigue and effects of chemotherapy treatments.

"It's a family, especially in the hockey development department," Shott said last month for a Republic story on him published a day before he was celebrated at Gila River Arena. "The whole staff, all the departments, they've all been great.

"We're a big family that looks out for each other, and anytime one of us is needed for something, we drop what we're doing and we help each other," Shott said.

Last month, before Shott was recognized on Hockey Fights Cancer Night, Coyotes executive Lyndsey Fry, a longtime friend of his, called Shott a brother.

"He's the most selfless person I know. He pours every ounce of himself into growing the game here in Arizona. It's almost to a fault, to be honest, how much of himself he gives," Fry said.

Shott's work in the hockey community was a labor of love, and before the Nov. 20 festivities at Hockey Fights Cancer Night he got to meet his hockey idol, Steve Yzerman, via Zoom. Then he performed the ceremonial puck drop before the Coyotes defeated the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 in overtime.

As part of being the team ambassador for the team's Hockey Fights Cancer initiative, Shott got to realize his dream of becoming an NHL coach when he took the ice with Coyotes head coach André Tourigny and his staff, then got to sit in on coaches' meetings.

"'Bear' (Tourigny) sent me an email and it said 'Be careful what you wish for,' Shott said. "'We're happy to have you for two days.' It was an eye opener."

Throughout his ordeal, Shott remained positive, even lighthearted about his battle with cancer. He was proud of his work in getting girls more into hockey and linking those kids and adults from with special needs to hockey programs that would cater to them.

Shott said he chose to be forthcoming in discussing his battle with cancer because he wanted to encourage those who were also in the fight.

"If there's anything that comes out of this, it's that if I can encourage people to stay positive and continue to push through the fight, then I accomplished my goal," Shott said. "I can hopefully encourage people to have the same mentality and the same positive focus that I have. If it helps one person survive this, it's all worth it."

Get in touch with Jose Romero at Jose.Romero@gannett.com. Find him on Twitter at @RomeroJoseM.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Matt Shott remembered as agent for change in hockey in Arizona