LONDON — A man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the death of ice hockey player Adam Johnson has been told he will not face charges, British prosecutors said Tuesday.
Johnson played for the Nottingham Panthers and died shortly after his neck had been sliced in a collision with Sheffield Steelers defenseman Matt Petgrave during a game on Oct. 28, 2023.
A man was arrested two weeks later and though South Yorkshire Police has not publicly identified him, Petgrave himself said in a crowdfunding appeal for legal fees that he’s the subject of a police investigation.
On Tuesday, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided it would not bring criminal charges against the man arrested following what it described as “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,” Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Michael Quinn said.
“Following a thorough police investigation and a comprehensive review of all the evidence by the CPS, we have concluded that there is not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offense and so there will not be a prosecution. Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Adam Johnson.”
After his arrest, Petgrave had been re-bailed several times while the investigation took place.
Johnson had skated with the puck into Sheffield’s defensive zone when Petgrave collided with another Panthers player nearby. Petgrave’s left skate elevated as he began to fall and the blade hit Johnson in the neck.
The native of Hibbing, Minnesota, was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The death of the 29-year-old former Pittsburgh Penguins player sparked debate across the sport about improving safety for players.
Petgrave, a 32-year-old Canadian, had support from some of Johnson’s teammates. Victor Björkung had told a Swedish newspaper there “isn’t a chance that it’s deliberate.” Björkung had played the pass to Johnson and said he was traumatized by what he saw. He left the team as a result.
Johnson was in his first season at Nottingham — one of the “import” players in the Elite Ice Hockey League — after stints in Germany and a handful of games for the Penguins in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.
Johnson was living with fiancée Ryan Wolfe and studying at Loughborough Business School.
The English Ice Hockey Association, which governs the sport below the Elite League, reacted to Johnson’s death by requiring all players in England to wear neck guards from the start of 2024.