5 hockey players who were killed on ice
Ice tragedies have claimed the lives of professional hockey players on the rink who died because of injuries during games.
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Hockey players who lost their lives on the ice while playing (via AP, open source, pinterest)
The ice hockey rink has seen its fair share of glory and tightly contested matchups over the years. Unfortunately, players have also succumbed to injuries on the ice, and such injuries have even proved to be fatal.
Although ice sports leagues endorse a high level of safety gear for all their players, several professionals have died on the ice while playing this sport. As former NHL center Adam Johnson becomes another victim of ice tragedies, we take a look at five ice hockey players who have lost their lives on the rink.
5. Bill Masterton
Born August 13, 1938, William Bill Masterton was originally from Winnipeg, Canada. The Canadian professional was one of the first NHL players to die on the ice on January 15, 1968. While playing a game for the Minnesota North Stars, he suddenly fell backward, hitting his head hard.
Despite wearing a helmet, Bill Masterton sustained a fatal brain injury. He was only 29 when he passed away. Bill’s death prompted the league to implement mandatory helmet rules, aiming to prevent such tragedies in the future.
4. Alexei Cherepanov
In 2008, the hockey world lost Alexei Cherepanov, a young Russian player with immense potential. While playing in the KHL for Avangard Omsk, Cherepanov suddenly collapsed on the bench.
Medical personnel could not revive him, and the cause of his death was later attributed to a heart condition. His untimely demise served as a wake-up call for rigorous health monitoring in the sport. Alexei Cherepanov was only 19 years old at the time of his passing.
3. Sergei Zholtok
Sergei Zholtok was a Latvian forward who met his end while playing in the Swiss League in 2004. During a game in Minsk, Belarus, he suddenly collapsed on the bench.
Despite efforts to revive him, Zholtok passed away from heart failure. It was later confirmed that he had suffered cardiac arrhythmia during the game between Riga 2000 and Dinamo Minsk. He was 31 years old at the time of his death.
4. Brois Sadecky
Boris Sadecky was a Slovak center who played for the Bratislava Capitals. It was on October 30, 2021, that Sadecky collapsed on the ice during a game against the Dornbirn Bulldogs.
He was immediately taken to a hospital but was later pronounced dead on November 3, 2021. The reason for his death was cited as inflammation of the heart that caused him to slip into a coma, leading to his eventual death.
1. Adam Johnson
Adam Robert Johnson was a former NHL professional who played for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 2018 and 2020 in the NHL. He later went on to play for the Malmö RedHawks in the Swedish Hockey League and later for the Ontario Reign of the AHL.
Johnson last played for the Nottingham Panthers in the EIHL. It was on October 28, 2023, that Adam Johnson suffered a fatal injury during a game against the Sheffield Steelers when the Steelers’ Matt Petgrave’s skate slit his neck during a collision on play.
Despite receiving medical attention, Adam Johnson died the same day at only 29 years old. As heartbreaking as the tragic incident has been, it is important that serious notice be taken in terms of player safety on the ice.
FAQs
Adam Johnson died on October 28, 2023.
Adam Johnson played in the NHL between 2018 to 2020.
Adam Johnson played Center.
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Anjum Ash.
(521 Articles Published)