What Happened to Hockey Player Adam Johnson?

The Gist:

• Adam Johnson, a former NHL player who was playing in the U.K., died during a game on Oct. 28, 2023, after his neck was cut by a skate blade.
• Following his death, tributes poured in from Adam’s current team and from his former NHL team, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
• Adam’s death has been described as a “freak accident,” but one that is undoubtedly tragic.

Adam Johnson, a 29-year-old hockey player who had once played in the NHL, died following a game in the United Kingdom on Oct. 28, 2023. The news of his death has left many confused as tributes continue to pour in for the hockey player, who died as the result of a “freak accident” during a game.

Now, many want to better understand what happened to Adam that led to his death, and what his actual cause of death was.

Adam was playing for the Nottingham Panthers in the U.K.’s Elite Ice Hockey League in a game against the Sheffield Steelers when a skate blade cut his throat. Following the injury, the Panthers tweeted out that the game had been paused due to a “bad injury,” and then said that fans had been asked to leave the arena because of a “medical emergency.” Following those reports, the Panthers released a statement announcing Adam’s death.

“Adam, our number 47, was not only an outstanding ice hockey player, but also a great teammate and an incredible person with his whole life ahead of him. The Club will dearly miss him and will never ever forget him,” it read. “The Panthers would like to send our thoughts and condolences to Adam’s family, his partner, and all his friends at this extremely difficult time. Everyone at the club including players, staff, management, and ownership are heartbroken at the news of Adam’s passing.”

The team didn’t share any details about what had happened to Adam, but it seems clear that the injury he sustained was the cause of his death.

Before Adam played in the U.K., he played as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2018 to 2020. Following the news of his death, they also released a statement about him.

“The Pittsburgh Penguins join the entire hockey world in mourning the loss of Adam Johnson, whose life tragically ended far too soon,” the statement said. “We offer our deepest condolences to Adam’s family and friends, as well as all of Adam’s past and present teammates and coaches. Adam will always be a part of the Penguins family. It was our honor to watch him fulfill his dream of playing in the National Hockey League.”

Adam was a Minnesota native who played hockey in college for the University of Minnesota Duluth. The Panthers have continued to pay tribute to Adam, and opened their next game with a moment of silence.