A man was arrested in Sheffield, United Kingdom on Tuesday on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the death of American ice hockey player Adam Johnson. The 29-year-old player for the Nottingham Panthers suffered a fatal neck injury from a skate blade during an Elite Ice Hockey League game against the Sheffield Steelers on October 28.
The suspect, not named or aged by the South Yorkshire Police, is currently in custody. The player involved in the incident is identified as Matt Petgrave, a 31-year-old Toronto native playing for the Sheffield Steelers.
Video footage captures the tragic event, showing Petgrave colliding with another player as his skate blade strikes Johnson’s neck. Despite immediate medical attention, Johnson succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital.
Detective Chief Superintendent Becs Horsfall stated that the investigation has been ongoing since the incident to understand the circumstances surrounding Johnson’s death.
Adam Johnson, a Minnesota native, had played in 13 NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019 and 2020. Matt Petgrave, originally from Toronto, played in various junior hockey teams before joining the University of New Brunswick. He turned professional in 2016, moving between the ECHL and AHL before playing in Europe in 2021 and joining the Sheffield Steelers last season.
While it is rare for a hockey player to face charges for on-ice incidents, instances like Giacinto “Jim” Boni’s culpable homicide charge in Italy in 1992 and charges against NHL players Marty McSorley and Todd Bertuzzi in Canada serve as precedents.
Following Johnson’s tragic death, the English Ice Hockey Association mandated the use of neck guards for all players in England starting in 2024. The Nottingham Panthers and the EIHL refrained from commenting on the ongoing police investigation, while Johnson’s agent, a family friend, and Petgrave’s team did not immediately respond to requests for comment.