The South Yorkshire Police have arrested a man on suspicion of manslaughter in the weeks following the death of former NHL player Adam Johnson.
Johnson, age 29, was a former center with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Minnesota native starred in the American Hockey League during the 2017-’18 season before making his NHL debut in a Penguins’ uniform on March 21, 2019.
- Adam Johnson stats: 4 points (3 assists, 1 goal),8 shots on goal, +1 in 13 games played
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On Oct. 28, Johnson died while playing in Sheffield, England for the Nottingham Panthers in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). Facing the Sheffield Steelers in the Championship Cup game, Johnson’s throat was cut by a blade during a collision in the Oct. 28 game.
The Sheffield’s coroners report determined that the 29-year-old suffered “an incised wound to the neck caused by the skate of another player.” While he was taken to a local hospital, Johnson died shortly after his arrival as a result of the injury.
The Panthers immediately released a statement after Johnson’s death, calling it a “freak accident” at the time. In the days following the tragedy, there were increased calls for all ice hockey players to wear protective neck guards to avoid another incident like this from happening again.
On Tuesday, the South Yorkshire Police announced they’ve arrested an unidentified man on suspicion of manslaughter in Johnson’s death.
“Our investigation launched immediately following this tragedy and we have been carrying out extensive enquiries ever since to piece together the events which led to the loss of Adam in these unprecedented circumstances. We have been speaking to highly specialised experts in their field to assist in our enquiries and continue to work closely with the health and safety department at Sheffield City Council, which is supporting our ongoing investigation.”
South Yorkshire Police on the death of Adam Johnson, arrest made on Tuesday
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No clarity was given on the identification of the man arrested. Johnson’s neck was cut by Sheffield player Matt Petgrave, age 31, in the Oct. 28 game and he immediately issued apologies both privately and publicly following the incident. In his first home game after the fatal hit, Petgrave received a standing ovation.
SYP chief superintendent Becs Horsfall urged the public to refrain from additional speculation while the matter is still being handled by law enforcement.
“Adam’s death has sent shockwaves through many communities, from our local residents here in Sheffield to ice hockey fans across the world. We know these communities will expect us to handle this investigation with the same professionalism, fairness and sensitivity as any other and request that members of the public refrain from comment and speculation which could hinder this process. Our thoughts remain with all affected by this devastating incident as enquiries continue.”
SYP chief superintendent Becs Horsfall following arrest of man charged with suspicion of manslaughter in the death of Adam Johnson
Johnson played 13 games over two years for the Penguins, later continuing his pro hockey career overseas in Sweden and Germany before joining the Panthers this season. The Penguins later announced they are now mandating all players with their AHL and ECHL affiliates to wear neck protective devices. The Western Hockey League also announced in November that neck protective devices are now mandatory.
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