Former Detroit Red Wings forward died from an apparent suicide

Former Detroit Red Wings forward Greg Johnson died in Detroit Sunday, July 7th.  Johnson was found in the basement of his house laying beside a gun and a bullet shell.

His wife Kristin found the former Detroit Red Wings center on the morning of July 7th.  Greg Johnson was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  The Philadelphia Flyers originally drafted the 48-year old in the second round of the 1989 NHL Entry Level Draft with the 33rd overall pick.

Greg Johnson played 785 career NHL games amassing 369 points including 145 goals and 224 assists.  Johnson played as a member of four different NHL franchises.  He spent time with Detroit, Chicago, Pittsburgh but was most famously known for his contributions as a member of the Nashville Predators.  Johnson was the second captain in Preds history behind his friend Tom Fitzgerald.

The Detroit Red Wings acquired Greg Johnson from the Philadelphia Flyers before him appearing in an NHL game.  Detroit sent the Flyers a fourth-round pick along with tough guy Jim Cummings in 1993 in exchange for Johnson’s services.  The Detroit Red Wings later flipped Johnson to the Penguins for Tomas Sandstrom in 1997.  The 32-year-old veteran winger provided scoring depth aiding the Wings to win their first Stanley Cup in 42 years.

In an article published by the Detroit News, written by Tony Paul, they describe the horrific scene.

"“We couldn’t believe it,” said Tom Laidlaw, Johnson’s longtime agent, who declined to discuss the specifics surrounding Johnson’s death.No suicide note was left, according to the police report. Johnson’s immediate family declined any comment, Laidlaw said.Kristin Johnson told police he suffered “numerous concussions during his playing career,” but she witnessed no signs of depression.Kristin Johnson told police she saw no signs of depression or anything that might have led to him harm himself.Kristin Johnson told police that on that Sunday morning, she heard the garage door open, but assumed it was her daughter returning from a friend’s house.She also noticed a fresh pot of coffee had been made, so she went to the patio, where her husband liked to drink his coffee. He wasn’t there.She also noticed the couple’s dogs had been fed, but saw the basement door was closed, which was unusual because the dogs routinely came and went downstairs freely.Kristin Johnson then noticed a light on in the storage room and peeked in, but didn’t see anything.After going upstairs and calling out for Greg again, she considered it unusual that the storage-room light was on, so she went back, and that’s when she found her husband, lying next to a tipped-over ladder.Kristin Johnson told police that the couple had no marital difficulties, and just the previous night had gone out for dinner and returned home and settled next to a backyard bonfire.She also said she didn’t know anything about financial difficulties, though she acknowledged that was her husband’s department."

Johnson’s wife Kristin went on to mention she was unaware that Greg owned a gun, she claims he was anti-gun.  Records show Johnson purchased a firearm in 2017; he must have been hiding it since.  It’s deplorable because Greg was clearly quietly suffering for quite some time.

There is help if you are suffering, never be ashamed or too proud to seek it. There are plenty of people that care about you. You are never alone, even if you feel as though you are.  That goes for whatever ails you, in this case, it appears Johnson becomes the latest victim of a potential CTE related suicide.  There have been plenty (way too many) of athletes that have succumb to CTE, although in this case, it’s only speculation, but CTE is caused by numerous blows to the head causing trauma to the brain.