Adam Johnson dies on ice in Europe

[yave1964]

  I am not gonna post the video. I watched it with my wife once and had to turn it off. It was sickening but it is out there for those who want to see it.

 

  29 year old Adam Johnson from Hibbing Minnesota died on the ice when his throat was cut in a game playing for the Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL. 

 

  He went undrafted coming out of Minnesota Duluth, signed with Pittsburgh, worked his tail off, earned a couple of late season call ups with the big club. After a few seasons with Ontario and then Lehigh valley he went to Europe to continue his career. 

 

  Died on the ice last night. Sweet Jesus. 29 years old. I got nothing.

Edited October 29, 2023 by yave1964

[NHL HHOF]

Ex-NHL player Adam Johnson, 29, dies after 'freak accident'

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/38770208/ex-nhl-player-adam-johnson-29-dies-freak-accident

 

Former NHLer dies after 'freak accident' during game in England

American Adam Johnson, 29, suffered a slashed neck

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/former-nhler-dies-after-freak-accident-during-game-in-england-1.7011944

 

Former NHL player Adam Johnson dies after ‘freak accident’ during hockey game in Britain’s top league

https://theathletic.com/5008199/2023/10/28/adam-johnson-hockey-injury-cut/

 

 

 

[pilldoc]

How horrible ......  

 

Agree with @yave1964 for not posting the video as it it is something that is not appropriate for this site.   Truly tragic for all involved.

 

As @yave1964 mentioned the video is out on the internet for those who want to see.  Any attempts to post the video here will automatically be hidden.

 

Prayers go out to both teams and to the families of all involved.

[OccamsRazor]

Very tragic for this  young man.

 

But many many hockey minds are speaking out that this wasn't a hockey they've ever seen in all their lives.

 

That the guy intended to hit him with his skate missed on a check or something and did this instead.

 

Maybe intentionally hitting him in the throat by trying to kick him in his chest area somewhere.

 

Haven't seen the video but these same people are suggesting manslaughter charges to be brought up.

 

Just passing along the info.

 

Dan Carcillio was one of the people speaking out.

[ruxpin]

2 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

Very tragic for this  young man.

 

But many many hockey minds are speaking out that this wasn't a hockey they've ever seen in all their lives.

 

That the guy intended to hit him with his skate missed on a check or something and did this instead.

 

Maybe intentionally hitting him in the throat by trying to kick him in his chest area somewhere.

 

Haven't seen the video but these same people are suggesting manslaughter charges to be brought up.

 

Just passing along the info.

 

Dan Carcillio was one of the people speaking out.

 

Maybe, but that honestly didn't look like that to me.   The other player appeared to get hit and was pinwheeled.   Hit him with his skate kind of as an upper cut (sorry, terrible way to put this, considering) right into his windpipe.    The other player went flying into a heep and then seemed horrified.

[Brewin Flames]

I have seen the video....gross, and heartbroken is all i can say.

 

If you want to look at intent, one could argue, but i don't think that is the case, just 100% bad luck, and had he chose to skate anywhere but make that cut at the exact moment, this doesn't even happen.

 

Just sucks....

[Jimtown guy]

22 minutes ago, Brewin Flames said:

I have seen the video....gross, and heartbroken is all i can say.

 

If you want to look at intent, one could argue, but i don't think that is the case, just 100% bad luck, and had he chose to skate anywhere but make that cut at the exact moment, this doesn't even happen.

 

Just sucks....

Not sure how it could have been intentional. This was just a freak accident that unfortunately took the life of a young player. Can’t imagine the folks who were there to witness it. Just a sad sad deal and prayers go out to his family and friends 

[Icechipper]

My middle son was a youth hockey goalie and he always wore a protective neck muffler. Likely where game will go.

[JR Ewing]

This is a terrible tragedy, and something I hope we never see again. Also, anybody who thinks it was on purpose is a complete and total moron.

[ruxpin]

15 minutes ago, JR Ewing said:

This is a terrible tragedy, and something I hope we never see again. Also, anybody who thinks it was on purpose is a complete and total moron.

Well, Dan Carrillo thought so, so apt description.  (OR was just reporting what was being said, so not directed toward him)

[pilldoc]

Well Dan Cacillo was hit the head a few too many times.  Not the sharpest knife in the drawer…..

[ruxpin]

2 minutes ago, pilldoc said:

Well Dan Cacillo was hit the head a few too many times.  Not the sharpest knife in the drawer…..

He's an utter imbecile. Pre-natal onward.

[OccamsRazor]

36 minutes ago, ruxpin said:

Well, Dan Carrillo thought so, so apt description.  (OR was just reporting what was being said, so not directed toward him)

 

Didn't see it don't like seeing things and then not being able to unsee it.

 

I have enough of that of my own now.

 

So i have no opinion on it besides it being a sad tragedy.

 

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by OccamsRazor

[ruxpin]

29 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Didn't see it don't like seeing things and then not being able to unsee it.

 

I have enough of that of my own now.

 

So i have no opinion on it besides it being a sad tragedy.

 

 

Yeah, I knew you hadn't seen it and were just reporting something you heard/read.  I wouldn't watch it if you haven't

[Alexandron]

 

Horrible  tragedy for the young player from Minnesota. All our prayers and condolences go to his family, relatives,  friends. 

Is any way to prevent this terrible accidents in the future? Wow, sharp blade went to the neck. Maybe that accident will give some thoughts in that direction? Probably, special collar design developed for that reason will help to avoid any unintentional or even intentional injuries in that area. It seems for other parts of the body we have some protection,  but not for the neck.

 

[JR Ewing]

12 minutes ago, Alexandron said:

 

Horrible  tragedy for the young player from Minnesota. All our prayers and condolences go to his family, relatives,  friends. 

Is any way to prevent this terrible accidents in the future? Wow, sharp blade went to the neck. Maybe that accident will give some thoughts in that direction? Probably, special collar design developed for that reason will help to avoid any unintentional or even intentional injuries in that area. It seems for other parts of the body we have some protection,  but not for the neck.

 

 

There is protection, but almost nobody wears it past young ages. Some teams are starting to make it mandatory (a team here in my city, for example) and more wil follow.

 

[JR Ewing]

33 minutes ago, ruxpin said:

Yeah, I knew you hadn't seen it and were just reporting something you heard/read.  I wouldn't watch it if you haven't

 

I've made sure to skip it. I've watched enough people die live in Indycar and Formula 1 races to last me a lifetime, and I didn't need to some poor young man die this way.

[Alexandron]

Just looked for his records at eliteprospects. He had 2 nice seasons for U of MN team in Duluth. Then he played for Penguins and it's farm team in AHL few seasons, then he moved to Europe and played 1 full season and started this season very well with Nottingham  Panthers. In 7 played games he had 7 points (4 goals;3 assists). Sadly, such a horrible  death stopped his nice professional career in his young age.

[OccamsRazor]

14 hours ago, ruxpin said:

Yeah, I knew you hadn't seen it and were just reporting something you heard/read.  I wouldn't watch it if you haven't

 

 

For the conversation as i said haven't seen the video displaying what happened but i envisioned something along these lines.

 

 

 

If it is like this i am actually surprised we don't see more of these injuries when you think about it.

[JR Ewing]

There we go: a major league gets around to it:

 

WHL announces mandatory neck guard protection

By Taylor RoccaNovember 1, 2023

Tags: WHL News

Calgary, Alta. –  The Western Hockey League announced today the adoption of mandatory neck guard protection for all players, effective Friday, November 3 or as soon as the protective equipment is available to the Clubs.

 

 

All WHL players will be required to wear protective neck guard equipment at all times while participating in on-ice activities, including WHL games and practices.

 

The WHL anticipates challenges in delivery of protective neck guard equipment from licensed suppliers due to increased demand following the tragic passing of Adam Johnson.

 

About the Western Hockey League

Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.

 

https://chl.ca/whl/article/whl-announces-mandatory-neck-guard-protection/

[Alexandron]

14 hours ago, JR Ewing said:

There we go: a major league gets around to it:

 

WHL announces mandatory neck guard protection

By Taylor RoccaNovember 1, 2023

Tags: WHL News

Calgary, Alta. –  The Western Hockey League announced today the adoption of mandatory neck guard protection for all players, effective Friday, November 3 or as soon as the protective equipment is available to the Clubs.

 

 

All WHL players will be required to wear protective neck guard equipment at all times while participating in on-ice activities, including WHL games and practices.

 

The WHL anticipates challenges in delivery of protective neck guard equipment from licensed suppliers due to increased demand following the tragic passing of Adam Johnson.

 

About the Western Hockey League

Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.

 

https://chl.ca/whl/article/whl-announces-mandatory-neck-guard-protection/

Those are great news. It should be as maximum protection as possible for this type of physical sport. Then we will see less injuries, especially untreatable or fatal.

[JR Ewing]

 

[JR Ewing]

 

[SaucyJack]

I just learned from the AP article on all of this that the Capitals’ TJ Oshie runs his hometown company Warroad Hockey, had received more than 100 messages about the cut-protection gear they offer, and sold out of them “within hours”.

[Brewin Flames]

Thousands gather to remember late hockey player Adam Johnson

• ESPN News Services

Nov 6, 2023, 10:26 PM ET

 

HIBBING, Minn. -- Thousands gathered Monday to remember Adam Johnson, the 29-year-old American hockey player who died last month after his neck was cut by a skate blade during a game in England.

 

Johnson, who appeared in 13 NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019 and 2020, was playing for the Nottingham Panthers in a Challenge Cup game against the Sheffield Steelers when he suffered the skate cut during the Elite Ice Hockey League contest.

Family, friends and former teammates gathered to celebrate the life of the former Hibbing High School, University of Minnesota-Duluth, Penguins and Nottingham player.

 

"Adam was a joyful, kind human being. He had a quiet unselfishness about him, but he was a guy you wanted to be around all of the time," said James Perunovich, a spokesperson for the Johnson family. "He didn't have to say much. You were a better person as a result of meeting him.

 

"Everyone knew who Adam was. He wasn't just a tremendous hockey player. He was a tremendous athlete. ... Everything he did, he excelled at."

 

The memorial was held a day after Johnson's funeral. Scott Pionk, also a family spokesman, relayed how former Hibbing assistant coach Grant Clafton described Johnson.

 

"He said Adam was known as joyfully grumpy, but once he met Ryan [Wolfe, Johnson's fiancée], he was just joyful," Pionk said. "That was the best thing I heard all day. That was awesome."

 

Johnson was also remembered for his hockey talent.

 

He spent 13 games over parts of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons playing for Pittsburgh in the NHL before spending the 2020-21 season in Sweden with the Malmo Redhawks. He had a goal and three assists for the Penguins.

 

Johnson helped Minnesota-Duluth reach two NCAA tournaments. He scored an overtime winner in the 2017 tournament, sending the Bulldogs to the Frozen Four by beating Boston University.

 

He also played for three American Hockey League clubs during his career and in Germany with the Augsburger Panther in 2022-23 before agreeing to join Nottingham for this season.

 

Johnson's death has led to further discussions about cut-resistant protection in the NHL and other leagues.

 

"He was a great player," Pionk said. "I'll remember him flying around in high school with his jersey flapping behind his back. We see enough hockey players come through here that if you're not a great guy, that part has to stay for the rest of your life. The hockey part is going to go away. We have to keep them humble. Hibbing did a great job with him. He was a great young man."

 

Perunovich said Johnson's family is handling things the best they can.

 

"Everybody is feeling the same," Perunovich said. "I don't think the words are as important as the emotions. We had people come in from all over the world here with their hugs and tears.

 

"We're hurting bad up here right now. It's going to take a while. Nobody can understand it, but maybe God needed him more than we did."