A slate gray sky over Nottingham, a trail of rain and, at the city’s ice rink this week, a reminder that grief is a long-term affair, relentlessly bleak as time has passed and the rest of the world is busy moving forward with to live.
It’s been 100 days since Adam Johnson, member of the Nottingham Panthers ice hockey team, died from injuries sustained in an on-ice incident against Sheffield Steelers and a floral shrine created in the immediate aftermath has made way for a more modest, permanent memorial . It is a beautiful plaque that was attached to the outside wall of the ice rink last week and shows the name and jersey number of the young American. ‘Forever our 47.’
One only had to follow the Panthers’ progress in the ten weeks since they returned to competition to feel the effect the 24-year-old Johnson’s death has had on a team that now has a very different perspective on the meaning of sports must have. .
The Panthers are used to being in the upper echelons of British ice hockey’s Elite League. Three years ago they were second, the last two seasons they have finished fourth and have started this season on a high again, with six straight wins in October.
Since Johnson’s death, they have lost 20 of their 24 games. The home and away ‘Christmas derby’ matches against the Steelers are generally the most anticipated fixtures in the competition. Nottingham lost the first, on their own rink, 5-1 on Boxing Day and lost 5-0 in South Yorkshire the following day. They are at the bottom of the table. Steelers are great.
Wednesday marks 100 days since ice hockey star Adam Johnson tragically died on the ice
The American died of injuries sustained in an incident on the ice rink against Sheffield Steelers. Johnson will star for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Carolina Hurricanes in 2019
Perhaps it is the years of immersion in a football culture that creates an expectation of negativity in Nottingham towards the Steelers and their Canadian player, Matt Petgrave, whose blade so gruesomely came into contact with Johnson’s neck. However, there is no one to be found. Hockey doesn’t seem to view this tragedy as something to be blamed for. ‘What can I say to you?’ says a mother buying Panthers tickets for her children. ‘We were there that night and it will always stay with us. Every time we see a game. That’s all.’
It was Matt Petgrave’s knife that gruesomely and fatally struck Johnson’s neck on the ice
In the broader hockey community, others have something stronger to say about one of the possible consequences of the challenge that took Johnson’s life. In November, South Yorkshire Police arrested and released on bail a man, who they have not named, on suspicion of manslaughter as part of their investigation into the incident. The prospect of a criminal charge hangs heavy in the sport.
Obviously, an investigation of unassailable accuracy is necessary. It’s the least Johnson’s family is owed. But a charge of what would be “involuntary manslaughter” – an unlawful killing where there is no intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm – would, a former coach tells me, “be an oversight of our game that would change the attitude of any player would change’. approach to it. Where does that lead for us, you ask? Every time you stepped onto the rink with competitive intentions, you would face the same consequences.”
The grainy footage of the incident that killed Johnson, which has now been shared millions of times, is unremittingly grim in retrospect and with full knowledge of what is about to happen. Johnson slides the puck to the left side of the rink. Petgrave moves quickly to intercept. Another Panthers player crosses his path. Petgrave appears to tumble forward, left heel high. As he falls, Johnson comes into his path.
Some of those I’ve spoken to have a vague idea of the moment Johnson was killed. A hugely experienced former player sees a deviation from the most sacred rule, embedded in ice hockey culture: that all players must have control over their skates.
In the immediate aftermath, a floral shrine was created as a modest, permanent reminder
Lawyers are reluctant to discuss the incident while the police investigation is ongoing, but the test for criminal liability is necessarily extremely high. Wearing deliberately extra-sharpened boots, or deliberately trying to cause injury, could meet the test, a legal expert suggests. It was difficult to see such a precalculation.
There is little legal precedent to help us in this regard, although the case of an amateur footballer from Kent who was convicted of grievous bodily harm in 2003 after breaking an opponent’s leg may be significant. The Court of Appeal overturned the conviction on the grounds that during competitions you accept a risk that you could be injured. “It is surprising that there is so little authoritative guidance from the appellate courts on the legal position in this situation,” the court’s judges wrote in that case. That is indeed true. But why is someone still waiting 100 days later to find out whether they will be charged with manslaughter and possibly face prison time?
The mother of the ice rink in Nottingham expresses the wish that players are now better protected, but that takes time. While all players who took part in the match between Nottingham’s Panthers and Coventry Blaze wore neck protectors before Christmas, this protective equipment is still not mandatory in the division 100 days later. Not even in the American NHL, where only two or three players from Johnson’s old team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, wore pads during a recent game. They could perhaps have set an example of all teams.
It is most important to take the lesson and heed the warning of that night of unspeakable horror in Nottingham, not to impute some form of criminal culpability. If those still reflecting on the events can see that, then there is a crumb of comfort to be had.
‘Forever our 47’: The flowers are also accompanied by many other tributes to the player
We lose all euphoria
A friend sent me the audio of Everton’s second equalizer against Tottenham after last weekend’s game at Goodison. Difficult to convey in a room like this, the absolute euphoria expressed by Everton’s own commentator, Darren Griffiths, other than to say it was sublime. It’s also hard not to smile when you play it back, which I’ve done several times now.
Another friend, on Gwladys Street with his father that Saturday afternoon, told me what that goal felt like from his own very different perspective. ‘Injury time equalizer!’ he messaged back to say. ‘It’s impossible to completely lose yourself in the moment because of the VAR check.’
The only thing spontaneous is that we are being inexorably taken away from football, even at Everton, where the Premier League’s apparent desire to deprive the club of every point they collect seems to know no bounds.
So if Arsenal, or anyone else, wants to celebrate in high heaven, let them do it all day long. And then some more. Because the lumpen regulators with their red lines and monitors are bleeding the game from its soul.
There was nothing wrong with Martin Odegaard’s joyful celebrations after the win over Liverpool
Those who criticize Mikel Arteta and Arsenal for celebrating are bleeding the soul out of the game
Six Nations is sport with soul
I measured the glory of a divine few days in Marseille as I watched Ireland open the Six Nations against France. There was about half an hour in the presence of an Irish coach and captain, Andy Farrell and Peter O’Mahony, who spoke as equals to those of us sitting in front of us in the press room, rather than trying to demonstrate how very cool and smart they were.
There was the azure blue sky of Marseille and the first sounds of spring. There were the anthems from two stadiums, sung with such monumental passion that it almost took the roof off.
And above all, there was the sight of the fans of respectful nations sitting apart, side by side, in the stadium and drinking side by side in the bars, when all was said and done, and Ireland had triumphed. The six nations. How incredibly good for the soul.