Hockey player from Minnesota dies in on-ice accident in England
Oct. 29—DULUTH — Adam Johnson, a former Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs center and standout for the Hibbing/Chisholm Bluejackets, died following a serious on-ice accident Saturday in England. He was 29 years old.
Johnson, of Hibbing, was in his first season with the Nottingham Panthers of the United Kingdom's Elite Ice Hockey League. The Panthers were playing the Sheffield Steelers on Saturday night in Sheffield when the game was halted in the second period due to what a Panthers' social media account said was "
a bad injury."
Nine minutes later the Panthers posted fans were asked to leave the arena
"due to a major medical emergency."
The team and
EIHL announced Johnson's death
on Sunday morning.
"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,"
the Panthers posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"Everyone at the club including players, staff, management and ownership are heartbroken at the news of Adam's passing."
The British Broadcasting Corporation reported that the injury was a skate cut to the neck and that screens were erected around Johnson to allow paramedics to work. Johnson was taken to Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.
"The Panthers would like to thank everyone who rushed to support Adam last night in the most testing circumstances," the Panthers wrote. "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 forget him."
The EIHL has canceled all games scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 29.
"The thoughts and condolences of everyone connected with the EIHL are with Adam's family, friends and team mates at this incredibly sad and difficult time,"
the league posted on X.
"We would also ask everyone to respect the privacy of Adam's family at this time."
Johnson played two seasons for the Bulldogs from 2015-2017 and was the second-leading scorer on UMD's 2016-17 team that finished as national runners-up to Denver following a loss in the NCAA title game to the Pioneers at the 2017 Frozen Four in Chicago. Johnson was the one who sent UMD to that Frozen Four, scoring the game-winning goal in a 3-2 overtime win over Boston University in the 2017 NCAA West Regional Championship in Fargo.
The Bulldogs coaching staff learned about Johnson's accident and death prior to Saturday's nonconference series finale against Cornell in Ithaca, New York. Players learned of Johnson's death after the 3-0 defeat.
"We are deeply devastated to learn last evening of the passing of Adam Johnson," said a statement released by the UMD men's hockey staff on Sunday morning. "Adam was loved and admired by his teammates, coaches, and staff. As talented as he was on the ice, he was even a better person. Adam remained connected to the program, and for our time with him we are eternally grateful. Adam, we love you, we will miss you."
An undrafted free agent out of Hibbing High School, Johnson signed his first pro contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins in July 2017 after attending the team's development camp. He spent two seasons with the organization, playing 13 NHL games with Pittsburgh and 115 in the American Hockey League with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He'd later play in the AHL with the Ontario Reign and Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
The UK was the third European country Johnson had played in after starting 2020-21 in Sweden and playing last season in Germany with the Augsburger Panther.
Johnson played four years of high school hockey with the Bluejackets before playing two seasons of junior hockey in the United States Hockey League with the Sioux City Musketeers. He helped the Bluejackets reach the 2011 Class A state semifinals as a sophomore and was a Minnesota Mr. Hockey finalist as a senior in 2012-13.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with former bluejacket Adam Johnson,"
the Hibbing/Chisholm boys hockey team posted on its Instagram.
"The Hibbing community is sending our best wishes to his family and friends. Rest in peace Adam."
This story was updated at 11:16 a.m. on Oct. 29 with statements from the UMD men's hockey program and Hibbing/Chisholm boys hockey programs, and at 6:49 a.m. on Oct. 29 following the announcement of Johnson's death. It was originally posted at 6:17 p.m. on Oct. 28.
