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Dayle Keen, the assistant coach of Coventry Blaze, passed away on Monday, February 26, while in Scotland. The cause of death remains unknown at the moment.
Coventry Blaze released a statement sharing the news of Keen’s death on Wednesday, revealing that the 33-year-old coach was affectionately called “Keeno,” and the whole organization was “shocked by his sudden death.” They further said:
“Our thoughts are with Keeno’s family, his children, and many friends at this very sad time. We know that this news will be difficult for many to process, and we kindly ask that anyone struggling seek the support needed.”
Dayle Keen had been with the Elite League since 2018
Dayle Keen was born on February 12, 1991, in Irvine, Scotland, Great Britain. Keen started his career in ice hockey in the early 2010s and was initially a player before he took on the duties of a coach.
As an ice hockey player, Keen played for the Solway Sharks and the Kilmarnock Storm, where he was appointed as a player-coach between 2012 and 2014. He had also participated in the English Premier Ice Hockey League as a member of one of these teams.
Before joining the Elite League in 2018, Keen had also coached the Basingstoke Bison Under 18 and Sheffield Steeldogs – where he was promoted to the position of Head Coach in 2017.
A year after joining the Elite League as a Skills Coach, Keen was appointed as the Assistant Coach for the Men’s Great Britain Under 20s in July 2019. He was a part of two silver-medal-winning teams in 2020 and 2023. The coach also led teams to win bronze medals in 2022 and 2024.
While it has been mentioned by the Coventry Blaze that Keen did have children, there’s no information about the coach’s personal life or details available on the internet.
Ice Hockey UK shared a statement following Keen’s death, mentioning how the coach was a “popular character throughout UK hockey, much loved by everyone across the country,” especially Coventry Blaze – his domestic club.
The statement further said:
“Dayle had a positive impact on everyone he met and lit up a room with his wit and humour. Rest in peace Dayle. We will never forget you.”
Dayle Keen’s friends and well-wishers took to X to pay their tributes
The news of Coach Dayle Keen’s death left the entire UK ice hockey community in shock, with several teams turning up on X to pay their tributes to the 33-year-old. Tributes also poured in from ice hockey players across the country.
Following the news of Dayle Keen's death, the Coventry Blaze has encouraged everyone affected by it to seek support, attaching a link to NHS's support for grief after bereavement.
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