What happened to Adam Johnson? Nottingham Panthers ice hockey player, 29, dies after skate blade ‘slashed his throat’. Details about him explored.
Adam Johnson, an iconic professional ice hockey forward, played 13 games in the National Hockey League with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons.
He also played in Europe with the Malmö Redhawks, Augsburger Panther, and Nottingham Panthers.
In October 2023, news about his painful death caused a massive stir online as social media was flooded with tributes.
He had died from an accident that happened in front of 8,000 fans at a stadium in Sheffield.
Following his tragic passing, fans want to learn more about the NHL star; his career, family, parents, and what actually happened to him. Here’s everything you need to know.
Who was Adam Johnson?
Adam Johnson was born on June 22, 1994, in Hibbing, Minnesota, United States.
Adam Robert Johnson was a professional Ice hockey player.
Johnson joined the Panthers for the 2023-2024 season.
He has played in four of the world’s top-ranking leagues, including 13 games for the National Hockey League side Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons.
He started his professional career with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2017-18 in the American Hockey League, scoring 31 points in the regular season.
He spent three years in total with the Pennsylvania-based side, contributing 139 points in league and playoff action.
His performances saw him called up to Pittsburgh where he netted four points in 13 matches over two years and scored the Penguins’ third goal in a 7-4 victory at Minnesota Wild in October 2019.
In 2020-21, he played in the SHL – the top level in Sweden – scoring 12 points before going back to the AHL.
After a season-and-a-half split between Ontario Reign and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Johnson spent last season in Germany’s DEL with Augsburger Panther.
What was Adam Johnson’s cause of death?
Nottingham Panthers ice hockey star Adam Johnson has died after a skate blade reportedly slashed his throat in a horrific game injury.
Horrified fans were asked to leave the stadium in Sheffield following the “major medical emergency” on Saturday evening.
Former NHL star Johnson, 29, suffered a gash to his throat in the freak accident, according to witnesses.
The game between his new team the Nottingham Panthers and the Sheffield Steelers had to be abandoned.
The team said: “The Nottingham Panthers are truly devastated to announce that Adam Johnson has tragically passed away following a freak accident at the game in Sheffield last night.
“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. Our thoughts are also with the fans and staff of both clubs, especially those who attended or were following the game, who will be devastated following today’s news.”
At an impromptu vigil for Johnson today, Nottingham Panthers assistant coach Kevin Moore told fans: “We are all going to get through this with a lot of love, a lot of thought and laughter.”
South Yorkshire Police said: “We were called at 8.25 pm yesterday to reports that a player had been seriously injured during a Sheffield Steelers versus Nottingham Panthers game at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield.
“Officers attended the scene alongside other emergency services and one man, aged in his 20s, was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Sadly, he was later pronounced deceased at hospital. Our officers remain at the scene carrying out enquiries today and our investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident remain ongoing.”
Yorkshire Ambulance Service said last night: “We were called at 8:21 this evening to the Sheffield Steelers game at Sheffield arena. We attended a male and sent two ambulances and a critical care paramedic, and we sent one patient to hospital.”
Eyewitnesses say players from both teams formed a ring around Johnson as apparently there was quite a lot of blood in an awful scene.
Around 8,000 fans are believed to have witnessed the horror collision between the two players at Utilita Arena Sheffield.
One person wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Paramedics are now on the ice, players are forming a ring around him and now screens are up around him. Awful scenes here at Sheffield Arena.”
The game was quickly stopped before screens were brought in to give the player and medical staff privacy while he received medical attention.
CPR is said to have been carried out on the Panthers forward.
Paramedics dashed to the scene before the American player was rushed to hospital.
The Nottingham Panthers official Twitter account earlier tweeted: “Players are returning to the locker rooms.”
The account then provided an update that: “Fans have been asked to leave the building due to a major medical emergency.”
Nottingham Motorpoint Arena, which is the Panthers’ home ground, posted on X: “Our heartfelt thoughts go out to Adam Johnson, his loved ones, all the Panthers players, staff, fans and the whole ice hockey community, following his horrific injury this evening.”
The Yorkshire Ambulance Service said they were called at around 8.20 pm on Saturday evening and that two crews and a critical care paramedic attended the scene.
Who are Adam Johnson’s parents and siblings?
Johnson was born on June 22, 1994, in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, to Kari “Susan” Johnson and Davey Johnson.
He was not an only child to his mother and father. He had one sibling, an older brother named Ryan.
Johnson’s devastated mum has shared a heartbreaking tribute following the hockey star’s death.
Posting on Facebook, his mum Kari said: “I lost half of my heart tonight.”
Was Adam Johnson dating anyone or married?
Beloved hockey star Adam Johnson was not single at the time of his death. Although not married, he was in a relationship with his girlfriend, Ryan Wolfe.
The couple are understood to have become engaged over the summer and lived in England together.
Per reports, she witnessed the unfortunate scary moment when her boyfriend died.
According to The Sun, the shocked girlfriend of ice hockey star Adam Johnson ran onto the ice and prayed for him after his throat was fatally slashed.
In the wake of his passing, girlfriend Ryan took to social media to share a picture of the ice hockey player.
A post shared on Instagram said: “My sweet, sweet angel. I’ll miss you forever and love you always.”
What was hockey star Adam Johnson’s net worth?
American hockey star Adam Johnson made a sizable fortune during his career.
He had a net worth of at least $1 million.