NHL
Canadian hockey player Matt Petgrave, who was not charged in connection with the death of former NHL player Adam Johnson in a game, has signed a one-year contract with the Indy Fuel of the ECHL, the team announced Thursday. Johnson died after an accident in which Petgrave’s skate cut him in the neck during a collision in an Elite Ice Hockey League game in October 2023.
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“We are aware that Matt was involved in a tragic accident two years ago on the ice, where another player lost his life,” Fuel CEO Sean Hallett said in a statement on social media. “No criminal charges were brought against Matt after the accident. After in-depth discussions with him and his previous coaches and teammates, we believe he should be afforded the opportunity to continue his playing career. We understand the responsibility that comes with the great support we receive from this community. We are confident he will be a positive addition to our team and our city.”
“I am thankful to the Fuel organization and the city of Indianapolis for allowing me the opportunity to continue my professional career in the sport I love,” Petgrave also said in a statement.
Statement from Matt Petgrave and CEO Sean Hallett. https://t.co/L5s0WoEfjk pic.twitter.com/PiS3FYuh5A
— Indy Fuel (@IndyFuel) September 18, 2025
Petgrave, a 33-year-old Toronto native, was initially arrested on Nov. 14, 2023, 17 days after the incident took place during a game between Petgrave’s Sheffield Steelers and Johnson’s Nottingham Panthers in England. While on police bail, Petgrave started a crowdfunding initiative to pay for legal costs and fight against allegations of manslaughter. According to the platform, CrowdJustice, the initiative raised nearly £19,000 or nearly $25,000 U.S.
Following a year-long police investigation, the Crown Prosecution Service — an organization based in England and Wales that independently prosecutes criminal cases investigated by law enforcement — decided not to press charges against Petgrave in April of this year.
Petgrave hasn’t played a professional game since the 2023-24 season, when he was a member of the Steelers. Petgrave was previously a member of the ECHL’s Brampton Beast, where he was named a First-Team All-Star following the 2018-19 season. Petgrave also played for the ECHL’s Florida Everblades and Kansas City Mavericks.
Petgrave has also played for four American Hockey League teams: the Laval Rocket, Syracuse Crunch, Belleville Senators and Utica Comets, in addition to teams in Czechia and Slovakia.
(Photo: Claus Andersen / Getty Images)
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Julian McKenzie is a staff writer for The Athletic’s NHL vertical and is based in Ottawa. He also hosts The Chris Johnston Show with The Athletic’s Chris Johnston. Julian’s work can also be found in the New York Times, FiveThirtyEight, CTV Montreal, The Canadian Press, TSN 690, the Montreal Gazette, The Sporting News and in other publications. Follow Julian on Twitter @jkamckenzie
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