The 29-year-old American died on Oct. 28 after the freak incident at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield.
Mr. Johnson—who was playing for Nottingham Panthers against the home team Sheffield Steelers—died in hospital.
Video footage of the incident—in which Mr. Johnson fell to the ground after a challenge by the Steelers’ Canadian defender Matt Petgrave—went viral.
On Sunday, Mr. Petgrave was given a standing ovation by 8,000 Steelers fans at the game’s first home game since the tragedy. They beat Coventry Blaze 2-1.
South Yorkshire Police did not identify the man who was arrested on Tuesday and said he had been bailed on Wednesday to an unspecified date in the New Year.
Detective Chief Superintendent Becs Horsfall said, “Our investigation launched immediately following this tragedy and we have been carrying out extensive inquiries ever since to piece together the events which led to the loss of Adam in these unprecedented circumstances.”
Death has Sent ‘Shockwaves’ Through Ice Hockey
Ms. Horsfall said, “Adam’s death has sent shockwaves through many communities, from our local residents here in Sheffield to ice hockey fans across the world.”“We know these communities will expect us to handle this investigation with the same professionalism, fairness and sensitivity as any other, and request that members of the public refrain from comment and speculation which could hinder this process, she added.
Coroner Calls for Neck Guards
An inquest into Mr. Johnson’s death was opened and adjourned on Nov. 3 but Sheffield’s senior coroner, Tanyka Rawden, has already called for neck guards to be introduced in UK ice hockey.Ms. Rawden wrote in a Prevention of Future Deaths Report to Ice Hockey UK and the English Ice Hockey Association, that she was, “sufficiently concerned that deaths may occur in the future if neck guards or protectors are not worn.”
The two sports bodies were given 56 days to notify Ms. Rawden about what action they had taken.
The EIHA said neck guards would become mandatory from next year, but they pointed out they did not control the Elite League, in which the Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers compete.
The Elite League said did not want to make neck guards mandatory but would, “strongly encourage” players to wear them.
The injury Mr. Johnson suffered was extremely rare and only a handful of ice hockey players have died as a result.
In Oct. 1995, Bengt Åkerblom died when his neck from a skate during a game in Sweden.
Neck guards were made mandatory in Sweden three months later but they are not required in the National Hockey League in the United States and Canada.
Mr. Johnson’s former team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, made it mandatory for their players recently and Penguins player Erik Karlsson told ESPN, “If we can wear a small piece of equipment to hopefully prevent something like that again, I think that’s a win.”
Manslaughter is unlawful killing without the intent to kill or cause really serious harm and is further subdivided into unlawful act manslaughter and manslaughter by gross negligence.
To be convicted of unlawful act manslaughter, a prosecutor has to prove a person intended some harm to their victim, rather than having an intent to cause really serious harm.
