How Sheffield Steelers coped with the tragic death of Adam Johnson

The catastrophe occurred during Steelers' 12th game of the season, a Cup match at Sheffield Arena, on October 28.

The fixture was abandoned after 34 minutes and Sheffield did not ice again until November 11.

Ultimately, Steelers swept the board, winning a Challenge Cup, League and Play Off treble.

Forward Brandon Whistle has now discussed how the team had to dig deep back in October, refocus their minds from the unthinkable, and attempt to come to terms with the loss.

Asked on a podcast whether the awful event actually helped the team bind together, he replied it had been "a terrible incident for everybody...our team, their team everybody in the hockey world.

"Honestly, it's an awful thing to happen. Everybody has their own opinion.

"I just think going through that as a group together and being in that rink every day and just trying to even just get back on the ice...I know tons of guys struggled with that, myself included.

"I just think it kind of brings you closer together and once you start playing games again and once you're back on that ice with everybody, you want to battle for everybody even more," the Great Britain centreman told the 3 on 3 Podcast UK.

"It's terrible to say something that brought everybody closer together but it kind of does in a way where once everybody's back ready to go you know and half the guys might be ready to play half the guys weren't so you're kind of picking up guys for the first few weeks, three weeks."

He said eventually the group became "comfortable on the ice again and it just kind of snowballed after that and everybody just wanted to play for each other and brought everybody closer."

Steelers had to rely on their team spirit in the Nottingham Arena-based Play Off finals, recently, when fans of rival EIHL teams combined to get behind first Guildford Flames in the semi final and then Belfast Giants in the final.

Sheffield won both games and Whistle scored a game-winner and assisted on another goal, during the weekend.

He said players could sense the hatred towards Sheffield in the end-of-season series.

It was "great" that rival fans had turned against them, though, he said.

"Fans might not think it, but it gives you a little more motivation when everybody else is cheering against you."

Whistle, aged 26, missed 27 games through injury and will not be available for GB's assault on the IIHL World Championships this summer.

Meanwhile, defenceman Niklas Nevalainen has bowed out after two successful seasons at Sheffield.

"You should always leave the party when you still have fun" concluded the 30-year-old Finn.