A Nottingham Panthers player who was on the ice when Adam Johnson was fatally slit in a collision has opened up about the death of his friend and teammate.
Victor Bjorkung was part of the team fielded by the Panthers during their game against Sheffield Steelers in October, in which Johnson was injured in the fight after a skate cut his neck.
The tragic accident, which was witnessed by around 8,000 fans at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield, shocked the ice hockey community and Johnson died in hospital.
Bjorkung had moved on to Johnson before the tragedy unfolded, and a man arrested for the star’s manslaughter recently bonded out.
The Swede, speaking with BBC sportHe has now opened up about the ordeal and the struggles he continues to face as a result of what happened.
Victor Bjorkung (right) opened up about the flashbacks he suffered after Adam Johnson’s death.
Johnson, who was playing for Nottingham Panthers against Sheffield Steelers, died in hospital in October last year after cutting himself on an ice skate.
Fans left hundreds of tributes to the 29-year-old outside Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena, with a tribute match held in November.
“I remember most of it,” he said. ‘Everything happened very quickly and obviously I was on the ice when it happened.
‘It still feels unreal. I think about it every day, more or less. I have a lot of flashbacks and they are not very pleasant.
“When we saw the injury and saw what happened, we all knew it was bad,” Bjorkung said.
‘We wanted to protect him and everyone else from seeing what was happening on the ice. At that moment he was in a very vulnerable situation. All of us, as players, were vulnerable too, but you have to put your own ego aside and think about what is best for the people around you.
“A lot of the trauma I’ve been dealing with and all my teammates I’ve been talking to after I left, it’s not easy.”
Bjorkung told the Panthers she would not return to the club following the incident and has since returned to her native Sweden.
A tribute match was held in honor of Johnson after his death in November.
Meanwhile, a man was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in November and later released on bail by South Yorkshire Police.
A force spokeswoman said after he was released again on bail last month: ‘A man who is under investigation following the death of ice hockey player Adam Johnson in Sheffield has been released again on bail.
A man who is under investigation for the death of a 29-year-old man has been released on bail again
A South Yorkshire Police spokeswoman has confirmed that the investigation into the incident is continuing.
‘Adam, 29, was fatally injured during a match between Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers on October 28 last year.
“He was sadly pronounced dead later in hospital, and a post-mortem confirmed he died as a result of a neck injury.
‘A man was arrested on November 14 last year on suspicion of murder and later released on bail. He has been re-released on bail until Tuesday 14 May 2024.
“Our thoughts remain with Adam’s loved ones as our investigation continues.”
