Former Penguin Adam Johnson critically injured during game (and has passed away)

[Maestro]

Many people including former NHL players have spoken out noting the recklessness and purposeful movement of the leg. There was no reason for the player's leg to be that high.

[RentedMule66]

This is just awful news and makes me sick to my stomach for Adam and his family. I remember years ago a couple of players colliding and flying into a goalie (NHL...maybe the Sabres???) Can't quite recall, but I remember living in Pittsburgh at the time (some time in the late 80's) and it was shown on the local news. The goalie ripped his hockey mask off and blood was just gushing and pulsing from his neck. It was horrifying to see. They rushed to the ice and actually saved his life.

[FLPensFan]

Many people including former NHL players have spoken out noting the recklessness and purposeful movement of the leg. There was no reason for the player's leg to be that high.

If you see the video at full speed, it makes no sense. I happened to see the video slowed down, and as his teammate mentioned, Matt Petgrave's left skate clips the skate of one of Johnson's teammates. This is the action that is very difficult to see full speed, but that action causes his leg to kick out hard to the left, eventually causing Petgrave to lose his balance and the skate to kick up high and into Johnson.

Petgrave having a reputation as a rough, reckless player in the past isn't helping the narrative, and then there are some truly disgusting people out there playing the race card into the equation.

It was an accident, and I hope the investigation shows this as well.

[BigMcK]

This is just awful news and makes me sick to my stomach for Adam and his family. I remember years ago a couple of players colliding and flying into a goalie (NHL...maybe the Sabres???) Can't quite recall, but I remember living in Pittsburgh at the time (some time in the late 80's) and it was shown on the local news. The goalie ripped his hockey mask off and blood was just gushing and pulsing from his neck. It was horrifying to see. They rushed to the ice and actually saved his life.

Clint Malarchuk was the goalie, and it occurred in 1989. I remember reading that he developed mental and alcohol issues afterwards. Yes, I remember that it was very gory.

[FLPensFan]

This is just awful news and makes me sick to my stomach for Adam and his family. I remember years ago a couple of players colliding and flying into a goalie (NHL...maybe the Sabres???) Can't quite recall, but I remember living in Pittsburgh at the time (some time in the late 80's) and it was shown on the local news. The goalie ripped his hockey mask off and blood was just gushing and pulsing from his neck. It was horrifying to see. They rushed to the ice and actually saved his life.

That was Clint Malarchuk in the 80's, and Malarchuk survived mainly because the trainer was a former army field medic, and essentially stuck his finger into his neck to pinch off the artery.

The other notable incident in the NHL was with Richard Zednik, playing for Florida at the time and oddly against Buffalo (the team Malarchuk played for in the 80s). Players got tangled up and Zednik's own teammate (Oli Jokkinen) skate sliced Zednik's carotid artery. The artery, however, was not severed, and while Zednik lost 5 pints of blood, most reports say he wasn't in severe danger of dying.

[Three Stars]

As this thread continues to dance closer to my red line, I’ll remind everyone again:

Folks, we’re not doing murder accusations, insinuations about someone’s character/intent, or anything else that could be considered libel here.

[Durbano]

Taylor on DK's site noted that as reports are posted about the investigation, that's really about staffing and the availability of medical personnel at the facility. An important distinction, IMO.

The pre-game ceremony on Monday was first class.

[brwi]

Many people including former NHL players have spoken out noting the recklessness and purposeful movement of the leg. There was no reason for the player's leg to be that high.

If you see the video at full speed, it makes no sense. I happened to see the video slowed down, and as his teammate mentioned, Matt Petgrave's left skate clips the skate of one of Johnson's teammates. This is the action that is very difficult to see full speed, but that action causes his leg to kick out hard to the left, eventually causing Petgrave to lose his balance and the skate to kick up high and into Johnson.

Petgrave having a reputation as a rough, reckless player in the past isn't helping the narrative, and then there are some truly disgusting people out there playing the race card into the equation.

It was an accident, and I hope the investigation shows this as well.

I agree. I came across a slowed down video the incident that cuts out right after the contact so you can really watch the play over and over and analyze it without the aftermath of Johnson's injury which I don't feel the need to see many times.

Looked to me like Petgrave was going to try and hop over Johnson's teammate's skate/leg but caught that player's skate and with the upward momentum Petgrave had, his leg and skate kicks out hard. Never seen anything like this in my life and the first time I saw the full speed video it looked almost like a WWE dropkick, but I think the slow-mo kind of accurately shows this as a tremendous tragedy with no ill intent.

[Pruezy11881]

So Matt Petgrave has been arrested for manslaughter for this...

[ejd43]

Although i will withhold my own thoughts on this incident. I am highly surprised it went to this point. Without reading anything on it, was he arrested? Or being detained at this point?

[Pruezy11881]

Although i will withhold my own thoughts on this incident. I am highly surprised it went to this point. Without reading anything on it, was he arrested? Or being detained at this point?

Multiple articles I read state arrested, not detained.

[penny lane]

He has a life sentence already. To prove intent - but this is under UK laws.

[Three Stars]

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-not ... e-67419951

The article in no way mentions the name of the person who was arrested.

[ejd43]

He has a life sentence already. To prove intent - but this is under UK laws.

I wonder how different UK law is to American law?

[KG]

Wow. This seems like a big overreach by the prosecution. I highly doubt the player would have been charged in North America. It appears to be a freak accident.

[Pens4Life]

It didnt look like an accident to me.. never seen such a kick in 32 years of playing some hockey and watching it

[FLPensFan]

Wow. This seems like a big overreach by the prosecution. I highly doubt the player would have been charged in North America. It appears to be a freak accident.

From what I am reading online, he has not been "charged." Removing people's opinion from the matter, multiple people have stated that in the UK they have to arrest the person to formally question them, and arresting them does not mean they are charged with the crime, like it does here in the US.

So, sounds like some of this is procedural at this point, and different than how US laws would work.

[Puck-Lurker]

I'd be very careful and reluctant to interpret any of this. In essense, US law is an offshoot of British law, but in this we have to remember the US and Britain are two countries divided by the Atlantic Ocean a common language and 200 years of culture and history.

I don't feel like getting rebuked (again), so if mods find they must, delete below this line. I'll be fine.

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Sports events and police investigations rarely intermingle and with good reason. There is some degree of accepted and acceptable risk involved in all physical sports. Seems like they are continuing to investigate the matter, which raises my eyebrow. I don't rightly see a clear path towards offenses committed, that wouldn't fall under the risks involved with participation umbrella. I haven't seen very clear footage of it (and I *really* want to keep it that way).

What's weird to me is how the arrest of the person has them remain in custody. That doesn't quite rhyme with investigators just checking all the angles. It's odd, but there can certainly be a benign reason for this as well. (EDIT: Like being taken to the office just today and the day not being done yet, for example)

Regardless, the man is at this time innocent until proven otherwise and we'd do well to remember. All the article really establishes, is that AJ passed away because of the neck injury he sustained, the rest is pretty much bait.

[stonewizard51]

I knew there was an ongoing investigation but didn't think an arrest was , if ever, going to happen, especially that fast.

[Puck-Lurker]

I know this is a very old thread by now, but I like closure. So forgive my necromancy..

Mat Petgrave, the player involved in the incident, will not be facing charges.


"We have concluded that there is not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offence and so there will not be a prosecution," Michael Quinn, deputy chief crown prosecutor, said. Mr Quinn added: "This was a shocking and deeply upsetting incident. The CPS and South Yorkshire Police have worked closely together to determine whether any criminal charges should be brought against the other ice hockey player involved. Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Adam Johnson."

He said the police investigation had been "thorough" and the CPS had undertaken a "comprehensive review of all the evidence". Mr Petgrave, who is Canadian, spent 17 months on bail after he was arrested in November 2023. He was rebailed seven times by South Yorkshire Police as the investigation continued. Mr Petgrave had denied the allegations and called the incident a "tragic accident"

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly2wkl17d7o

Thorough and comprehensive does seem to track with the lengthy timeline of this investigation, too. I think this is the correct decision to make. It's time for all to move on and remember.