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.
Johnson's aunt Kari said: "I lost half of my heart tonight."
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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 8.25pm 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.
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"We attended a male and sent two ambulances and a critical care paramedic, and we sent one patient to hospital."
'AWFUL SCENES'
Eye witnesses says players from both teams formed a ring around Johnson as apparently there was quite a lot of blood.
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 Panther's 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 8.20pm on Saturday evening and that two crews and a critical care paramedic attended the scene.
HOCKEY STAR
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 NHL side Pittsburgh Penguins.
The forward was born in Hibbing, Minnesota, and 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.
