Former NHL player Adam Johnson suffered a “major medical emergency” in the UK on Saturday night as fans were urged to evacuate the building after the freak accident.
Johnson, a forward for the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League, was involved in a mid-ice collision midway through the second period against the Sheffield Steelers.
The injury is believed to have been caused by a skate blade to Johnson’s neck, according to the BBC.
Johnson attempted to skate back to the Panthers’ bench before he was stopped by officials and his teammates who signaled for help, the disturbing clip showed.
The outlet reported that players formed a ring and had screens around Johnson to shield him away from worried onlookers.
Officials stopped the game and the Panthers said players had returned to the locker rooms.
Roughly 8,000 people at Utilita Arena Sheffield were “asked to leave the building due to a major medical emergency,” the Panthers announced on X.
The Panthers did not specify who was involved in the horrifying scene, but the Duluth News Tribune confirmed Johnson as the injured player.
Johnson, a Minnesota native, spent two seasons with the Penguins from 2018 to 2020.
He appeared in 13 games and tallied one goal and four assists during his stint in Pittsburgh.
He later played for the Los Angeles Kings and Philadelphia Flyers minor league affiliates before he signed on to play overseas in Europe.
“Our thoughts are with Adam Johnson, his family, friends, and teammates. Bulldog Country is sending our best wishes following his injury tonight with the Nottingham Panthers and hoping for a positive update,” the University of Minnesota Duluth, Johnson’s college team, said in a statement posted to X.
Johnson was in his first season with the Panthers, who are based in central England.
Nottingham head coach Jonathan Paredes praised Johnson as a perfect fit when he signed with the club in August.
“Nottingham looks like a great spot,” Johnson said at the time. “I have heard great things and I really like the look of the rink. It sounds like the club want to play fast and offensive, so it should be a fun style of hockey and I am looking forward to it.”
This is a developing story
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