Petgraves Ex-Coach Makes Concerning Statement Regarding The Adam Johnson Case

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Austin Sabourin
November 16, 2023 (11:37)

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Earlier this week, South Yorkshire Police disclosed the arrest of an unidentified individual, presumably Sheffield Steelers forward Matt Petgrave, on suspicion of manslaughter related to the tragic death of Nottingham Panthers forward Adam Johnson last month.

As reported by the BBC:

An individual has been apprehended on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the demise of ice hockey player Adam Johnson, who suffered a neck injury during a match.

The Nottingham Panthers player sustained the injury from a skate during a game against Sheffield Steelers on October 28.

Despite being rushed to the hospital, the 29-year-old was declared dead.

Following a post-mortem examination, South Yorkshire Police confirmed his cause of death as a fatal neck injury and announced the arrest of the suspect on Tuesday, emphasizing that the individual remains in custody.

Days after the heartbreaking incident, which I term an accident because it seems unequivocally clear to me, South Yorkshire Police declared their intention to investigate Johnson's death.

This wasn't surprising to me, as I would anticipate an inquiry into any death, whether accidental or not. Dr. Victoria Silverwood, a criminologist, has explained on social media why Petgrave has been arrested.

Dr. Silverwood's Twitter thread provides valuable insights:

To me, it is apparent that the incident between Johnson and Petgrave was a tragic accident, but perspectives differ. On social media, numerous individuals are expressing the opinion that Petgrave's actions were intentional and that he deliberately attempted to kick Johnson in the throat.

While this notion seems absurd and, frankly, repugnant in the face of an obvious tragic accident, I acknowledge that not everyone shares my perspective.

In fact, one of Petgrave's former coaches, Finn Elmo Aittola, has raised concerns and believes Petgrave's actions may be intentional based on his history.

Aittola, formerly an assistant coach with HK Spisska Nova Ves of the Slovak Extraliga, where Petgrave played 34 games in 2021-22, expressed his negative impressions of Petgrave in an interview with Finnish newspaper Ilta Sanomat.

Aittola's remarks include:

"I coached Matt for a very short stint. I wanted to get rid of him immediately."
"I had a very negative impression of him. He has no respect for himself or his opponents." "He used to get into a bit of a mess. He is a very dirty player." "If there's a player I'm willing to believe could use a skate to stop an opponent, I believe Matt Petgrave could do it. He's an extremely reckless player."

Elmo Aittola

While this assessment of Petgrave's character is quite damning, it doesn't significantly alter my perspective on the matter.

Irrespective of whose skate blade struck Johnson and their on-ice history, I maintain that this is a tragic accident. Without delving into the intricacies of the play leading to Johnson's death, I find it improbable that this could have been done intentionally.

Nevertheless, I acknowledge that I lack a history with Petgrave, unlike his former coach. These words, I presume, will be closely scrutinized by investigators.