Tue Apr 29 16:00:00 UTC 2025: ## No Charges in Death of Ice Hockey Player Adam Johnson
**LONDON** – The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced Tuesday that no criminal charges will be filed against a man arrested in connection with the death of Nottingham Panthers ice hockey player Adam Johnson. Johnson, 29, died on October 28th after suffering a fatal neck laceration during a game against the Sheffield Steelers. Sheffield Steelers defenseman Matt Petgrave, who was arrested two weeks after the incident, was the subject of the investigation, though police did not publicly name him.
The CPS stated that after a thorough investigation by South Yorkshire Police and a comprehensive review of the evidence, there was not a realistic prospect of conviction. Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Michael Quinn expressed the CPS’s condolences to Johnson’s family and friends. Petgrave, who had been re-bailed multiple times during the investigation, will not face prosecution.
The incident occurred when Petgrave’s skate accidentally struck Johnson in the neck during a collision. The tragedy sparked a debate within the ice hockey community about player safety, leading the English Ice Hockey Association to mandate neck guards for all players starting in 2024. Johnson, a former Pittsburgh Penguins player, was in his first season with Nottingham and was remembered by teammates as a skilled player and a kind person. His death has profoundly affected the hockey world.
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