The American player, who was 29 years old, was representing Nottingham Panthers in an Elite League match against Sheffield Steelers when the skate blade of Steelers player Matthew Petgrave struck him in the neck. He was taken to hospital following the incident at Sheffield Arena in October 2023 but could not be saved.
At a pre-inquest review held in Sheffield on Monday, the city’s senior coroner, Tanyka Rawden, stated that she had examined statements from Yorkshire Ambulance Service paramedics. She noted that their account described a highly disorganised situation. She added that she had numerous concerns about how Yorkshire Ambulance Service personnel gained access to the ice surface. According to one paramedic’s account, the crew were forced to scale barriers because no one could grant them entry to the ice. Mrs Rawden also questioned whether adequate blood supplies were available for paramedics responding to the emergency.
Mr Johnson’s mother, Sue Johnson, and his partner, Ryan Wolfe, were among relatives who joined the hearing remotely from the United States. Mrs Rawden told them she was sorry they were meeting under these circumstances. She stated she could not comprehend what they had experienced since Adam’s death. She observed it must have been utterly traumatic for all of them.
Last year, the Crown Prosecution Service concluded it would not bring criminal charges against Mr Petgrave, who is Canadian. On Monday, his barrister, Michael Hayton KC, informed the hearing that his client currently remains in Canada. Mrs Rawden indicated she presently intends to call Mr Petgrave and nine other players who took part in the match to give evidence, though this remains subject to review. She was advised that none of these individuals are currently in Britain.
Mrs Rawden decided the inquest will be held with a jury and noted there is extensive CCTV footage in this matter. She observed that the jurors would unfortunately have to view some of the footage, acknowledging this would be distressing for the family. However, Mrs Rawden indicated the inquest into Mr Johnson’s death would probably not take place this year. She recognised there were calls for a speedier hearing but pointed out her inquiry had had to be halted until the police investigation was completed last year.
Mrs Rawden said she would not be rushing the process. She had to carry out a thorough and fearless investigation even if it required time. She added she appreciated how gruelling the situation was for Adam’s family. He died in October 2023 and the current date was April 2026, and she could not fathom what the period between those dates had been like for them. She indicated the inquest is presently anticipated to run for four to six weeks.
Mrs Rawden said she would make a determination at a future point about whether the hearing needed to be moved from Sheffield and whether a visit to the arena by the jury would be beneficial. She decided the inquest would cover the cause of the injury, the medical facilities at the arena, and the promptness and suitability of the medical treatment given to Mr Johnson.
Mr Johnson’s death reverberated throughout the ice hockey world after thousands of spectators at the Sheffield arena witnessed the incident. In January 2024, it became known that Mrs Rawden had issued a Prevention of Future Deaths Report to Ice Hockey UK and the English Ice Hockey Association concerning the wearing of neck guards in the sport. In the document, she stated she was seriously concerned that further fatalities could happen if neck guards or protectors were not worn, giving the organisations 56 days to set out what measures had been taken or explain why none had been.
Neck guards have been compulsory in the Elite League, in which Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers compete, since January 1, 2024. This came after the International Ice Hockey Federation’s decision in December 2023 to require the use of neck laceration protectors in its competitions. A provisional date for a further pre-inquest review was arranged for October 29.