Adam Johnson's teammate opens up on witnessing the horrific on-ice collision that led to the 29-year-old's tragic death: 'I tried to suppress a lot'

A personnel of of England's Nottingham Panthers lucky squad has reacted to teammate Adam Johnson's death, calling nan on-ice calamity 'the astir traumatizing point successful his full life.'

'I person tried to suppress a lot,' Victor Bjorkung, a Swedish defenseman for nan English lucky club, told Swedish outlet Expressen, arsenic translated by nan Nottingham Post. 'You are truthful shocked astatine nan moment, everything goes truthful damn fast. One infinitesimal you person your friend there, nan adjacent 2nd he's gone.'

The 29-year-old Johnson was killed Saturday aft crashing into members of nan Sheffield Steelers. The Minnesota native's pharynx was slashed by an opponent's skate leaf successful nan collision, and arsenic a result, he was rushed to nan infirmary wherever he was later declared dead.

Bjorkung and his teammates person been gathering each time and speaking pinch psychologists and a trauma team, according to nan report.

'Being connected nan crystal erstwhile a friend I clasp adjacent dies for illustration that. It's terrible. It went truthful damn fast,' Bjorkung said.

'I was a fewer meters distant from him and I person a batch of representation gaps, but I person been told that I played nan puck up to him connected nan near helping and past it takes a fewer seconds before… well, everyone knows what happens aft that.'

Police are investigating nan circumstances surrounding Johnson's death.

'Our officers stay astatine nan segment carrying retired inquiries and our investigation into nan circumstances surrounding nan incident stay ongoing,' South Yorkshire Police said connected Monday. 'We would promote nan nationalist to debar speculation regarding nan incident while we proceed our inquiries.'

The English Ice Hockey Association, which governs nan athletics beneath nan Elite League, reacted to Johnson's decease by requiring each players successful England to deterioration cervix guards from nan commencement of 2024.

Neck guards will beryllium mandatory from January 1 for each on-ice activities. The EIHA gave connected Monday its 'strong recommendation' that each players commencement wearing a cervix guard, effective immediately. It said cervix guards would not beryllium mandatory instantly because of anticipated proviso issues.

'It is unacceptable for immoderate subordinate to suffer their life while playing sport,' nan EIHA said. 'Our work is not only to avert nan recurrence of specified a heartbreaking accident, but besides to pre-emptively reside different foreseeable incidents successful nan future.'

Players successful nan U.K. are allowed to play without cervix guards aft they move 18.

Johnson's decease and its aftermath reverberated astir nan lucky community, pinch moments of soundlessness held astir nan NHL and nan Penguins adding 'AJ 47' decals to their helmets.

The Anaheim Ducks joined nan Penguins astatine halfway crystal for a tribute to Johnson earlier Monday's game.

A black-and-white photograph of Johnson was displayed connected nan scoreboard and a achromatic spotlight connected halfway ice. The video tribute included Johnson's debut successful Nashville and his first NHL extremity successful Minnesota. Instead of a infinitesimal of silence, nan Penguins asked for 1 last cheer for Johnson, arsenic fans applauded and players tapped their sticks astir nan halfway circle.

The Penguins started their 3rd statement connected Monday to grant Johnson, who joined nan statement successful 2017.

'It's an unthinkable tragedy,' Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. 'He was a awesome kid. It was a privilege to beryllium his coach.'

Hockey shaper Bauer called for collaboration astir nan athletics for accrued consciousness and a instruction connected cut-resistant cervix protection.

'Along pinch nan larger lucky community, we mourn Adam's tragic passing,' CEO Ed Kinnaly said successful a statement. 'We judge now is nan clip for nan lucky organization to collectively travel together to return meaningful action successful an urgent manner.'

Kinnaly said Bauer was committed to educating parents and players connected nan value of cut-resistant gear, activity pinch master athletes to get feedback connected merchandise creation and collaborate pinch governing bodies specified arsenic USA Hockey and Hockey Canada and younker organizations to instruction and enforce cervix protection.

Washington Capitals winger T.J. Oshie, who co-owns nan Warroad Hockey instrumentality and apparel institution named aft his hometown successful Minnesota, said he received astir 100 texts from different players inquiring astir cut-resistant materials and that nan full inventory sold retired Sunday.

'It's conscionable crazy, sad, and we don't person thing left,' Oshie said aft believe Monday. 

'We're reasoning astir his family first. We'll effort to get arsenic galore products retired location arsenic we tin for people.'