Kick, Killed Adam Johnson Shocked Hockey World—It Was Murder
At the EIHL (Elite Ice Hockey League) Challenge Cup, player Adam Johnson lost his life after suffering a gash to his neck from an opponent’s skate.
Manchester Panthers ice hockey player Adam Johnson passed away after a wound to his neck from a kick by Sheffield Steelers player Matt Petgrave.
The announcement from the Nottingham Panthers said, “Adam Johnson passed away after a freak accident.”
At the Utilita Arena in Sheffield, Great Britain, during the Panthers vs. Steelers EIHL (Elite Ice Hockey League) Challenge Cup game, there was a “freak accident,” as Johnson’s team put it.
After receiving treatment on the ice and being evacuated to Sheffield North General Hospital, the Panthers announced the player’s passing, saying,
“The Nottingham Panthers are truly heartbroken to announce that Adam Johnson unexpectedly passed away after a freak accident at the game in Sheffield.”
According to Sean Avery, a former NHL player who has played for the Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Rangers, Matt Petgrave’s (31) hit on Johnson (29) was deliberate.
It is quite likely that Petgrave attempted to get in touch with Johnson, the Nottingham player. Is it possible that he declared his intention to kill someone the moment he awakened? The Canadians responded negatively.
Jesse Waters, a Fox anchor, referred to Petgrave’s skate kick on Johnson’s neck as “a homicide,” a perspective to which Avery does not subscribe.
Petgrave is the most penalized player in the Elite Ice Hockey League; Waters called him a “dirty” player and said it seemed to be “murder.”
It’s risky to use the word “murder.” I saw the blow and the leg. The location wasn’t right for it. It is bad. “I find it impossible to watch the video again,” shot back Avery, a fierce opponent of ice hockey players’ present usage of thin titanium skate blades.
When it came to assessing Petgrave’s neck kick that ended up killing Johnson, Chris Therien—a former NHL player for the Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Stars—came down heavily.
What I witnessed genuinely sickened and horrified me. It appeared to be deliberate. It was a kick in kung fu. The Canadian said, “My eyes don’t lie. Tell me I’m wrong.”
The death of Adam Johnson is being looked into by South Yorkshire Police.
The South Yorkshire Police have initiated “normal procedure” for this kind of scenario and are looking into Johnson’s death.
An official for the police added, “Our officers are still on the site, conducting investigations. We are currently conducting an inquiry into the incident’s circumstances. While our investigations are ongoing, we ask the public to refrain from conjecturing about the event.”
