Former UNB Reds player at centre of U.K. hockey death from skate slash
CBC
Matt Petgrave is no goon, says his University of New Brunswick Reds' teammate Taylor MacDougall.
"No, not at all. Matt's a very talented player," said MacDougall, who lives in Fredericton.
Petgrave, a 31-year-old defenceman, was playing in the Elite Ice Hockey League in the United Kingdom, when his skate slashed the throat of an opponent after a collision during a game on Saturday.
Adam Johnson, 29, collapsed on the ice immediately and died later in hospital.
MacDougall called it "an extremely unfortunate freak accident" and said there's no question in his mind "it was absolutely that— a freak accident."
"He's one that plays hard, and sometimes that leads to penalty minutes. But in terms of someone who's malicious or has intent or lacks respect for the game or any of those things, that's certainly not Matt."
According to a statement from the South Yorkshire Police on Tuesday afternoon, posted on their website, officers are continuing to investigate the incident, including reviewing footage, talking to witnesses and "seeking the advice and support" of experts "to understand the circumstances surrounding what happened."
"We continue to encourage the public to avoid speculation, including on social media," the statement said.
MacDougall said he's kept in contact with Petgrave since they left UNB and even reached out to him on Monday, but did not want to discuss their conversation.
He has read and heard the negative things people are saying about his friend online, including racist remarks, and said he feels "terrible for everybody involved, including Matt. It's an awful situation for everybody involved."
According to online statistics, during his four years on the Reds hockey team, from 2013 to 2017, Petgrave played 108 regular season games and racked up 284 penalty minutes, which averages a little more than one minor penalty per game.
MacDougall said Petgrave's role was not as an enforcer, and that is borne out by his current stats, as well.
On its website, the Sheffield Steelers quotes head coach Aaron Fox calling Petgrave "an impact player," that he can be put in any position.
Last year, in his first year with the team, Petgrave was voted to the league's all-star team, indicating, said Fox, "that the other clubs saw [his] importance to our club and his extreme talents."