Proud moments: Yu making a crucial save for Malaysia at the Thailand Invitation Ice Hockey Championship 2025 in Bangkok.
From watching casual ice hockey practices at a Subang Jaya mall to becoming the first Malaysian to play ice hockey in Canada, Mathaeus Grason Yu has made incredible strides.
Now playing with the Canadian International Hockey Academy (CIHA) Voyageurs Varsity team, Yu is one of the only three Malaysians to play in North America, alongside Mohd Hariz Ananda and Shaquille Manjohari.
“I feel a sense of pride but I also take it as motivation as I want to leave a mark during my time here,” the 16-year-old told StarEdu.
Come December, he will represent Malaysia at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, as the youngest player on the men’s national team.
Yu’s journey into ice hockey began unexpectedly, thanks to a family friend.
“My dad’s friend brought me to watch one of the ice hockey practices at a mall in Subang Jaya and it piqued my interest, so my dad signed me up to learn how to skate,” he shared.
As his skills developed, Yu received an invitation to join a local ice hockey club in Bangkok, where he stayed for five years.
Yu posing for a photo with Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh during a meet-and-greet session with the team in Bukit Jalil.
“Later, many of my peers started to move to the United States and Canada. This led me to a crossroads.
“I didn’t want to be left behind, so I applied for schools in America and Canada,” he shared.
Currently, Yu serves as his team’s goaltender – a role often seen as the “last line of defence” and one that comes with immense responsibility.
At the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation U18 Asia and Oceania Cup, Yu represented Malaysia and recorded two wins with a 75.2% save rate (SV%) and a 17.87 goals against average (GAA) across five games, earning the title of his team’s Best Player.
The SV% reflects the percentage of shots successfully blocked by the goaltender, while the GAA measures the number of goals a goaltender allows per 60 minutes of playing time.
“It was one of the biggest tournaments I had played in at the time, and the arena was so huge it felt unreal,” he said, adding that there was immense pressure as many expected strong performances from both him and his team.
“If you have fear, it can lead to slip-ups.
“During games, I talk to myself to stay focused, patient and confident.
“I’d also visualise the puck heading towards me and tell myself that it cannot hurt me, so that I won’t be scared or flinch,” he said.
Nonetheless, there were also moments when Yu felt his progress had stalled.
“I was frustrated because it felt like I wasn’t improving. I realised I had become too comfortable with where I was instead of pushing myself further.
“This made me focus more on my hockey and try to learn every time I went to practice,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Yu said it is the thrill of victory and camaraderie that keeps him playing.
He expressed hope of inspiring more Malaysians to give ice hockey a try.
“When I go back in the summer, I volunteer to teach kids to skate on Fridays at a mall in Subang Jaya.
“During practice, I really enjoy saying ‘hi’ to the kids watching because maybe they’ll be inspired to start playing too,” he said.
Looking ahead, Yu is taking things one step at a time. He is aiming to perform well, earn a spot on junior teams, and eventually play at the college and university level.
For those who are interested in playing ice hockey, Yu’s message is simple: never stop learning.
“Learn whatever you can and no matter what you do, learn something new every day.
“You might think that unconventional sports like ice hockey are harder to get into because of your location but if you learn from players better than you and from the coaches, it really isn’t impossible,” he shared.
