Jets Neal Pionk Discusses Death Of Close Friend Adam Johnson

The tragic death of former NHLer Adam Johnson has hit everyone in the world of hockey hard. One week after the 29-year-old's death while playing for the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League, Johnson's close friend, Neal Pionk of the Winnipeg Jets, talked about the incident.

Pionk and Johnson were incredibly close and the Jets defenseman talked about how he is dealing with the grief of losing his friend in such a horrific way in an interview with The Winnipeg Free Press.

“He was one of my best friends. He was in my wedding two years ago,” Pionk said.

Pionk and Johnson played two seasons together with the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers. They then spent another two seasons as teammates at the University of Minnesota-Duluth before joining the professional ranks.

“We played four years together, we lived together for probably six years. On top of that we golf together every summer, we fish together," Pionk said. "His family is like family to me. He was like one of my brothers.”

So you — as you can imagine — Pionk took the news that Johnson had died after taking a skate blade to the neck last Saturday incredibly hard.

“The first three days I didn’t know I could cry so much,” he said. “The last couple days… but some of them are good tears, too, because we’ve been sharing some really good stories and that’s what it’s all about.”

Pionk Leaning On Teammates Who Also Played With Johnson

As previously mentioned, the incident was a brutal one for all of hockey, and in the upper levels of the sport, the community becomes especially small. In fact, several other Jets were former teammates of Johnson's. Winger Alex Iafallo and center Dominic Toninato both played with Johnson at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Additioanlly, centers Rasmus Kupari and Gabriel Vilardi were Johnson's teammates with the AHL's Ontario Reign the team he played for during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.

Pionk said that those guys who understand the level of grief he has been dealing with are a big help.

“It’s been really good to have those guys, because Al and I have been sitting by each other on the bus every day and talk, and we share pictures and videos, share memories and stories. It’s been really helpful,” Pionk said.

Pionk — who is in his fifth season with the Jets after spending two with the New York Rangers — revealed that Johnson was planning to call it a career after this season.

“This was going to be his last year (of hockey)," Pionk said. "He was taking school and finishing his degree over there. Get in a little extra school and then come back home and start his life in the real world.”

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