A high school hockey player in Minnesota died on Christmas Day after suffering a series of strokes caused by a rare disorder.

Cormick Scanlan, 16, died on Sunday in a St. Paul hospital, three weeks after suffering a stroke that led to emergency surgery in an attempt to save his life.

'Our hockey community has lost a great young man,' the St. Paul Capitals Hockey Association said in a Facebook post confirming Cormick's death.

The group said the teen had passed 'peacefully' and 'surrounded by family.' 

The teen first suffered a stroke on December 6, and was diagnosed with moyamoya disease, a rare progressive cerebrovascular disorder that causes a blockage to the main blood vessels entering the brain. 

'He had bypass surgery on Thursday the 15th to repair the left side carotid artery with blood vessels from his head. Sadly, he suffered additional strokes thereafter,' the hockey club said.

Cormick played for the Capitals last season, and this year played for Cretin Derham Hall, where he was a sophomore.

'This is a kid who lived what we talk about every day,' coach Derek Weinke told KMSP-TV. 'The values of selflessness, of hard work, integrity... these are all things that this young man had.' 

Cormick's teammates placed stickers honoring his No. 17 jersey number on their helmets after he suffered the first stroke earlier this month.

They later shaved their heads in solidarity, and hopes ran high after he received a diagnosis and was scheduled for surgery. 

'We kind of thought, 'Hey now we know what it is, they're going to do this procedure and he's going to battle back,'' said Weinke. 

'"We don't know what it's going to look like on the other side, but it's Cormick, he's going to battle through this." And then things took a turn and then it got worse.' 

In an update on CaringBridge following his death, Cormick's mother Heather wrote: 'There is something beautiful about him starting his heavenly journey on Christmas.'

'We are thankful for the time Mick granted family and friends to visit one last time,' she added. 

'Words cannot express how much joy Cormick brought his family. We are heartbroken.'