[Sunnyways]

A few days ago, Adam Johnson was hit by a skate and killed during a hockey game in the UK’s pro league. The police have just announced they are arresting a man on suspicion of manslaughter.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... -sheffield

[DrCaleb]

Manslaughter? Playing a game with sharp blades on your feet and implied hard contact comes with certain risks.

[Sunnyways]

Yeah, that surprised me. The police claim to have spoken to experts.

https://www.southyorks.police.uk/find-o ... sheffield/

[DrCaleb]

UK "hockey experts"?

Tug the other one.

[Sunnyways]

Johnson collided with a Canadian:

$1:

The incident occurred partway through the second period of the Nottingham Panthers’ game against the Sheffield Steelers on Oct. 28. Steelers defenceman Matt Petgrave, 31, collided with Mr. Johnson, 29, as the Panthers forward stickhandled the puck up the ice. As Mr. Petgrave fell, his left leg rose and his skate blade cut Mr. Johnson’s throat. He died later in hospital.

$1:

Mr. Petgrave, who is from Toronto, is in his second season with the Steelers and led the team in scoring last year. Like Mr. Johnson, he too has been a hockey journeyman, playing for more than a dozen teams in the Ontario Hockey League, U Sports, the ECHL, the American Hockey League and leagues in Czechia and Slovakia.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/ ... r-nhler-2/

[Sunnyways]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

UK "hockey experts"?

Tug the other one.

Field hockey, perhaps?

[DrCaleb]

Ringette.

[Sunnyways]

Did you see any video? I don’t think it looks like a typical injury sustained with a skate but I know less than nothing on the subject. I see there is renewed discussion about neck protection since the incident:

https://www.espn.co.uk/nhl/story/_/id/3 ... am-johnson

[DrCaleb]

Yes, the video was on CBC when it happened, and last night as well. 'Typical' would preclude that the event has been studied and detailed to find a normal. That's Joseph Mengle level shit. Blade injuries are a known thing, neck injuries are a known thing. And anyone who has played hockey knows that a flying drop kick to the upper body is not a planned event.

Hockey has had a history of blade to neck injuries for decades. It's a known thing, especially with goalies, with a known solution. When this happened, every North American league that didn't already use neck guards, instituted neck guards.

They shouldn't blame the player for something unintentional that happens accidentally all the time. Everybody knew the risks, everybody accepted them.

[Sunnyways]

My impression of such injuries is that they usually happen when one player is a lot lower than the other - for example, if the victim falls before a collision or the skater is upended by somebody else. Sometimes a player can involuntarily flex their leg when falling backwards. I’m struggling for benign explanations here and I’m not sure a standing ovation was in order:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/other ... e-12743383

[DrCaleb]

Yea, sorry but I'm not opening a link from the Daily Fail. But yea, if there was an ovation after that it would be disturbing.

Goalies used to get cut a lot until it became mandatory for them to wear neck shields. They, more than most players, have someone who is upended sliding feet first and flailing legs toward them. Anytime you are closer to the knife-boots, you are at risk.

[DrCaleb]

Decades after he nearly died, hockey player asks why neck guards still aren't mandatory