- Tributes have been paid to American former NHL star Johnson following his death
- The freak accident has happened before in the sport, but both players survived
Ice hockey star Adam Johnson tragically died when his throat was slit by a knife during a match between the Nottingham Panthers and the Sheffield Steelers on Saturday – and the freak accident has happened only twice before in the sport.
Johnson, 29, died after suffering a serious laceration in a collision with opponent Matt Petgrave’s knife. The incident happened in front of 8,000 shocked fans at the Utilita Arena Sheffield.
It is only the third time a hockey player’s throat has been slit by a knife during a major game, with the other two incidents both taking place during NHL games in the United States.
In March 1989, Buffalo Sabers goalie Clint Malarchuk survived despite having the jugular vein in his neck severed during his team’s game against the St. Louis Blues at Memorial Auditorium.
Malarchuk was horizontal with Steve Tuttle’s blade when he dropped down to play a pass. He suffered a six-inch open wound and a pool of blood quickly formed around him.
Nottingham Panthers ice hockey player Adam Johnson died after a ‘freak accident’ during a match against Sheffield Steelers
US-born Johnson was hit in the neck by an ice hockey blade. In the photo: moments before the tragedy
Richard Zednik (center) suffered a similar injury during an NHL game in 2008
The goalkeeper removed his helmet and grabbed his throat before being stretchered away and rushed to hospital, where he required more than 300 stitches to repair the wound.
According to a Discovery Channel documentary about the shocking incident, Malarchuk reportedly bled out within two minutes and 14 seconds, but he survived.
The now 62-year-old admitted he thought he was going to die. “I thought, ‘Well, this is it, this is how I’m going to move forward,’” Malarchuk said. “Then I thought, ‘My mom (Jean) is watching because she had a satellite dish that was getting all the games, and I wanted to get off the ice as quickly as possible because I didn’t want her to see it. I’m dying right there on TV.’
Malarchuk was incredibly back on the ice just ten days later for the Buffalo Sabers’ game against the Quebec Nordiques. He also appeared at a press conference from his hospital bed the day after the freak accident, where he vowed to return as soon as possible.
The two-time NHL all-star attempted suicide in 2008 after a battle with depression and alcohol, but survived.
In February 2008, memories of Malarchuk’s injury emerged after Richard Zednik suffered a cut to his carotid artery during a game between the Florida Panthers and Malarchuk’s former team, the Sabres.
Zednik was accidentally cut across the right side of the throat by teammate Olli Jokinen’s skate midway through the third period of the match.
People are laying flowers and tributes for Johnson outside the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham today
Lighted candles are among the tributes left outside Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena today
Clint Malarchuk (left, photo in 2008) survived despite having the jugular vein in his neck severed in March 1989
Jokinen’s leg was raised after he was knocked over by Sabers forward Clarke MacArthur and his skate caught Zednik.
Blood was seen coming from his neck and the Slovak was rushed off the ice to undergo emergency surgery.
Zednik himself admitted that he thought the cut would kill him. ‘I saw Olli’s skate go up to my eyes, so I instinctively raised my head and felt his skate sticking in my neck. “I knew it was bad, because I skated to the bench, I thought I would ever see my daughter again,” he told the Slovak podcast Boris & Brambor.
The Slovakian star, like Malarchuk, also returned to action, but missed the rest of the 2008 season.
Both incidents led to calls to make neck guards mandatory in the NHL, but there are currently no rules forcing players to wear them.