An investigation into the death of ice hockey player Adam Johnson has been opened and postponed until January.
The Nottingham Panthers player died after suffering a neck injury due to skating during a match against the Sheffield Steelers on October 28, in what his club described as a “freak accident.”
South Yorkshire Police said earlier this week that their investigations “remain ongoing” and were likely to “take some time”.
An inquest into the death of the 29-year-old American has been opened and postponed until 26 January 2024 after a short hearing at the Forensic Center in Sheffield on Friday 3 November.
The inquest heard that Johnson was taken to Northern Sheffield General Hospital on October 28, where he died later that day from his injuries.
He was officially introduced by his fiancée, Ryan Wolfe.
Chief coroner Tanika Rawdin said: “I am not in a position to fix the investigation today because my investigation is not yet finished.”
The coroner stressed that the date of January 26 would be for review and not for a full investigation.
She concluded her speech by saying that she wanted to “take this opportunity to extend my sincere condolences to his family, friends and everyone who knew him at this difficult time.”
Johnson was honored from across the sport, with the Panthers inviting fans to a memorial service at their stadium on Saturday.
Earlier this week, the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) announced it was making approved neck protectors/protectors a mandatory piece of equipment for “players at all levels across English ice hockey” in the wake of his death.
Johnson’s former NHL employers, the Pittsburgh Penguins, are also leading the charge for neck protection.
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Remembering Adam Johnson, the former NHL player who died after a skating blade accident: ‘An incredible human being’
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