Jonathan Weaver’s career stretched over three decades from the 1990s to the 2020s, during which time he played over 1,000 games for his club sides and was capped 97 times for Great Britain’s senior team.

He was voted the Best British Defenceman five times at club level.

After making his full debut for GB in 1998, the Sunderland native went on to win a gold, four silver and two bronze medals with the national team and captained the squad at six World Championship tournaments (2006-11).

In his final GB season in 2017, he was part of the side in Belfast that won the gold medal and promotion.

Equally skilful on defence or left-wing, he racked up 68 points (21 goals and 47 assists), good enough for seventh place on Britain’s all-time scoring chart as of November 2024.

Between 1994 and 1997, he represented his country 23 times on two European Junior Championships and three World Juniors, scoring 29 points (15 goals).

Weaves’ list of clubs reads like a who’s-who of British ice hockey. After making his senior debut at the age of 16 with Durham Wasps in the old British League (1992-96), he went on to grace the rosters of Newcastle Cobras, Manchester Storm and Ayr Scottish Eagles in the Superleague (1996-2002).

During seasons 2002-05 he signed for Hull Thunder, Fife Flyers and Newcastle Vipers in the British National League, performing a key role in Vipers’ move up to the Elite League, winning the playoff championship in 2006.

He switched to Coventry (2007-12) and was twice on Elite League-winning sides with the Blaze, in 2007-08 and 2009-10, captaining the club on the second occasion.

Weaver was selected three times to the league’s All-Star team, the A squad in 2007-08 and 2009-10, and the B squad in 2008-09.

He joined the Panthers in 2012 and helped them end their long wait for a league title, as well as winning the Challenge Cup and playoffs in the same season.

Invariably wearing jersey #14, his final years were spent with Telford Tigers in the English Premier/National League.

In total, he played 1,066 games for British clubs, scoring 1,086 points (315 goals and 771 assists).

Away from the UK, in season 1999-2000 he travelled to North America and played briefly with Detroit Vipers in the International Hockey League and Mississippi Sea Wolves in the ECHL. He also spent time at a training camp in the American Hockey League.

In 2023 at the age of 46, he signed for his ninth season in Telford but his return to the ice was delayed after he suffered an injury.

He saw this as a chance to take up a career away from the ice and, after weeks of intense training, took a full-time position with the Leicestershire Fire Service.

His country called the following year and appointed him as an assistant coach with the Great Britain men’s under-20 squad.

Jonathan Weaver was born on 20th January 1977 in Sunderland, England. He was inducted into the Ice Hockey UK Hall of Fame in November 2024.