Former NHL players’ death an apparent suicide

The Detroit News is reporting that Greg Johnson, who played over 12 seasons in the NHL, died of an apparent suicide.

According to the Detroit News, Johnson was found by his wife Kristin during the morning of July 7th in a storage room in the couple’s home. A police report says a gun and a single bullet were found near the body.

Johnson was 48 years old. He played for the Red Wings for four seasons. He also served as alternate captain and, eventually, captain of the Nashville Predators after being selected in the 1998 expansion draft.

The police report says no suicide note was left. His family is declining any comment. Without going into specifics of the death, his long-time agent says no one could believe it.

“Greg wasn’t Mark Messier, he wasn’t Wayne Gretzky, but he was a captain in Nashville,” Tom Laidlaw told the Detroit News. “People really respected him.”

Funeral services are still being organized. You can read the full report by the Detroit News using the link below.