FILE - Floral tributes are placed for Nottingham Panthers player Adam Johnson, who died from a skate cut to the neck, outside the Motorpoint Arena, in Nottingham, England, on Nov. 18, 2023, before a memorial ice hockey game between the Panthers and the Manchester Storm. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)
Matt Petgrave, whose skate fatally cut Adam Johnson’s neck, signs in the ECHL
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) 鈥 Matt Petgrave, the player whose skate fatally cut Adam Johnson鈥檚 neck in a hockey game in Britain nearly two years ago, has signed a contract to play for the Indy Fuel of the minor-league ECHL.
FILE - Floral tributes are placed for Nottingham Panthers player Adam Johnson, who died from a skate cut to the neck, outside the Motorpoint Arena, in Nottingham, England, on Nov. 18, 2023, before a memorial ice hockey game between the Panthers and the Manchester Storm. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) 鈥 Matt Petgrave, the player whose skate fatally cut Adam Johnson鈥檚 neck in a hockey game in Britain nearly two years ago, has signed a contract to play for the Indy Fuel of the minor-league ECHL.
Friday they鈥檝e signed Petgrave to a contract for the upcoming season.
on suspicion of manslaughter following the on-ice incident on Oct. 28, 2023. After a lengthy investigation, authorities that the 33-year-old Canadian would not face charges.
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鈥淎fter in-depth discussions with him and his previous coaches and teammates, we believe he should be afforded the opportunity to continue his playing career,鈥 Sean Hallett, CEO of Hallett Sports, which owns the team, said in a statement. 鈥淲e understand the responsibility that comes with the great support we receive from this community. We are confident he will be a positive addition to our team and our city.鈥
Johnson died after Petgrave’s left skate sliced his neck during an Elite Ice Hockey League game between the Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers. Petgrave has not played since.
鈥淚 am thankful to the Fuel organization and the city of Indianapolis for allowing me the opportunity to continue my professional career in the sport I love,鈥 Petgrave said in a statement.
Before going overseas to play in Slovakia, Czech Republic and England, the 海角社区官网native spent several seasons in the ECHL and American Hockey League. He was an ECHL All-Star in 2017-18.
The ECHL is a North American developmental league two levels below the NHL.
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