Police investigating death of Adam Johnson caused by Matt Petgrave’s skate

Police are investigating the death of Adam Johnson, a former NHL player whose throat was cut by the skate of an opposing player on Saturday.

Johnson was playing for the Nottingham Panthers of England’s Elite Ice Hockey League on Saturday when his throat was cut by the blade of opponent Matt Petgrave’s skate. Johnson received emergency medical treatment on the ice, but he did not survive. On Sunday, the Panthers announced that Johnson had died. He was 29.

South Yorkshire Police on Monday issued a statement about the matter:

“We were called at 8:25 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28 to reports that a player had been seriously injured during a Sheffield Steelers versus Nottingham Panthers game at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield.

“Officers attended the scene alongside other emergency services and one man, aged in his 20s, was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Sadly, he was later pronounced deceased at the hospital.

“Our officers remain at the scene carrying out inquiries and our investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident remains ongoing,” the statement said.

There have been some calls for Petgrave to potentially face criminal charges for the death of Johnson.

Johnson played in 13 NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins across the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. He also played for the AHL affiliates of the Penguins, Los Angeles Kings and Philadelphia Flyers.