Nottingham Panthers plan tribute to fallen hockey player
Late in 2023 during an Elite Ice Hockey League game Nottingham Panthers forward Adam Johnson was involved in an on-ice incident that ultimately claimed his life. The play in question which became a talking point in hockey circles afterwards occurred when the skate of Sheffield Steeler opponent Matt Petgrave came up and sliced Johnson's neck.
Now nearly nine months after Johnson's death, the Panthers have disclosed that there will be an on-ice tribute to Johnson in the form of a graphic within the ice for the foreseeable future.
While Johnsons' death was tragic and unexpected, it gave the hockey community a genuine opportunity to talk about player safety in the form of neck protection and even if the idea doesn't stick within the largest and best professional league in the National Hockey League, the conversation is still happening in hundreds of leagues and thousands of organizations around the world.
Although I'm sure Johnson wouldn't have wanted to have this much attention directed towards him, it's important to remember what happened to him so steps can be taken moving forward to limit or eliminate this sort of situation from happening again. Protective equipment has come a long way since the ice hockey game's inception and continues to evolve. What matters today is remembering Adam Johnson and moving ahead not only for the hockey player he was but also for the person he became and continued to be, on and off the ice.
| POLL | ||
Has the hockey world done enough to prevent another incident such as the one involving Adam Johnson | ||
| Yes. Time to move on | 22 | 42.3 % |
| No. Still need to be vigilant | 30 | 57.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
