Mavericks’ McKay receives drug-related suspension

At 3:09 p.m. yesterday Minnesota State men’s hockey team’s senior goaltender Dryden McKay announced on Twitter that he is facing a six month suspension from hockey due to a positive test of a substance called Ostarine. 

Although it was a trillionth of a gram, doping rules inside the United States Anti-Doping Agency require what could be up to four years of banning from an athlete’s sport for positive tests of illegal substances. 

Although it is unannounced, McKay was chosen as one of the four alternate members of team USA’s men’s ice hockey team for the 2022 Beijing Olympics and was required to test for foreign substances due to USADA rules. McKay’s results came back positive for Ostarine which halted the goaltender’s career.

It turns out, test results focused on one of McKay’s daily supplements at the time which was used as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that is used as an immune-booster or recovery method for COVID-19. McKay quickly hired a lawyer, Paul Greene, who has dealt with drug violation clients previously.

Greene was able to minimize McKay’s suspension to six months starting April 12th, three days after the Frozen Four Championship game. The suspension will last until October, where the goaltender will be unable to sign with an NHL team or return to MSU.

Write to Kole Buelow at kole.buelow@mnsu.edu.