On Oct 28, 2023, Adam Johnson, a 29-year-old center from Hibbing, Minnesota and in his first year playing in the United Kingdom for the Nottingham Panthers, died following an on-ice injury where his throat was lacerated by an opponent’s skate.
One year less a day later, the Panthers hosted the Manchester Storm in a Challenge Cup match on Sunday night. Before the game, Johnson’s memory was honored at Nottingham’s National Ice Centre.
“If you look back a year ago, at how the hockey community came together, even though it’s a reminder of such a tragic event that happened that so many people felt such strong emotions towards,” British sports journalist Sam Hurst said on the Panthers’ post-game podcast following a 3-1 Manchester win. “We had 47 seconds of applause and then in the 47th minute of the game as well we had the Adam Johnson chant going around.
“Really emotional but I think it was a touching way to commemorate it.”
The tragedy sent ripples across the hockey world and most jurisdictions that didn’t already have them have since either introduced or tightened rules on neck protection. The NHL is a notable exception to that, and it remains an ongoing source of debate.
The Panthers have already announced that Johnson’s number 47 will be retired on Dec 14 in a pre-game ceremony before the team’s EIHL home game against the Fife Flyers.