The South Yorkshire Police announced Tuesday that a suspect had been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the death of former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Adam Johnson. The suspect, former AHL player Matt Petgrave, has since been released on bail, according to Syracuse.com.
In the second period of the Panthers’ game against the Sheffield Steelers, Petgrave’s skate came up after a collision and cut Johnson in the neck. Johnson, 29, received medical treatment on the ice and was transported to a nearby hospital before he was pronounced dead.
Earlier this week Detective Chief Superintendent Becs Horsfall released a statement on the arrest. While Horsfall never named Petgrave, he did note that police have consulted “highly specialized experts” throughout their investigation.
“Our investigation launched immediately following this tragedy and we have been carrying out extensive inquiries ever since to piece together the events which led to the loss of Adam in these unprecedented circumstances,” Horsfall said. “We have been speaking to highly specialized experts in their field to assist in our inquiries and continue to work closely with the health and safety department at Sheffield City Council, which is supporting our ongoing investigation.”
In their statement following Johnson’s death, the Panthers described it as a “freak accident.”
Johnson’s death sent shockwaves through the NHL, and players have begun trying out neck protection during practice and in games. The NHL and NHLPA have also been working together on ways to better protect players from blade cuts moving forward.
