Who is hockey player Matt Petgrave?
TRAGEDY struck England's Elite Ice Hockey League in October 2023 after a former NHL player died during a game.
The "freak accident" occurred after Nottingham Panthers player Adam Johnson collided with Sheffield Steelers defenseman Matt Petgrave.
Who is hockey player Matt Petgrave?
Matt Petgrave is a hockey player from Toronto, Ontario.
Born on January 29, 1992, he began his professional career in the late 2010s in the American Hockey League.
During the 2017-18 season, Petgrave played for the Tampa Bay Lightning's affiliate team, the Syracuse Crunch, and he then went on to have stints with the Laval Rocket, the Montreal Canadiens' affiliate team, the Belleville Senators, the Ottawa Senators' affiliate team, and the Utica Comets while they were the affiliate team of the Vancouver Canucks.
After the 2019-20 season, Petgrave left the AHL. In 2022, he then began playing for the Sheffield Steelers of England's Elite Ice Hockey League.
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Since joining the Elite League, he has played in 82 games, scoring 14 goals, 52 assists, and 70 points, according to his player biography.
At this time, additional details on Petgrave's personal life are unclear because he often stays out of the spotlight.
What happened to Adam Johnson?
On October 28, 2023, the Nottingham Panthers faced off against the Sheffield Steelers.
During the game, Johnson, a former NHL player who appeared in 13 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, was cut in the throat by Petgrave's skate blade in what has been described as a "freak accident."
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"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," Johnson's team said in a statement, via The Associated Press.
"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."
Petgrave has not commented on Johnson's death, but a source told Daily Mail that the defender is "absolutely distraught" and has since received "vile messages online."
At this time, additional details on the case are unclear, but the South Yorkshire Police have since confirmed that it has launched a probe into the "circumstances surrounding the incident".
What has the NHL said about Adam Johnson’s death?
Since the news of Johnson's death was announced, the hockey community has come together to mourn the loss of the young star.
In a statement, the NHL said: "The National Hockey League family mourns the passing of former Pittsburgh Penguin Adam Johnson. Our prayers and deepest condolences go to his family, friends and teammates."
The Penguins also released a statement, saying: "The Pittsburgh Penguins join the entire hockey world in mourning the loss of Adam Johnson, whose life tragically ended far too soon.
"We offer our deepest condolences to Adam's family and friends, as well as all of Adam's past and present teammates and coaches.
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"Adam will always be a part of the Penguins family. It was our honor to watch him fulfill his dream of playing in the National Hockey League."
Johnson passed away on the same day as Friends actor Matthew Perry, who has been described by the NHL as a "devoted friend of the game of hockey."