Few people understood the importance of this Sheffield Steelers' player's role says ex teammate

Yesterday, The Star said the NIHL club had left the door open for the 1,040-game Steeler.

They are giving him time to adjust to his new life in 'civvy street' but hope the pull of ice hockey will bring him back.

If he does accept an offer at iceSheffield, he may well have more freedom than the role he had at EIHL level.

There, the club captain was predominantly a fourth-line player who was superbly efficient on the penalty kill.

A few more goals, and playing higher up the line structure, might appeal.

His former team-mate Evan Mosey, who has also left Steelers, said nobody should ever underestimate how hard his role at Steelers was.

"Everybody says Jonno was a fourth-line player but I'm like: 'He is literally irreplaceable for his leadership and his work ethic.'

"The game he's played is a tough one.

"He knew his role on the team and that he was not going to be the big time, big minute or big Power Play guy.

"He accepted that and says: 'I am going to excel at something else.'

"He is one of the biggest penalty killers ever, to be able to accept that role shows a value on its own.

"I don't think people understand his game and how tough it is.

"And to do it for so long, well it's insane.

"On the penalty kill, players cannot be out of shape, you need to go hard and put pressure on guys, you have to keep going."

Mosey saw him as an "effective third or fourth line player" at EIHL level, one could pop up and score important goals for Steelers and Great Britain.

So extra freedom to express himself at NIHL level, along with his legendary fitness at 40 years old, is making him an attractive proposition for Dogs' co-owner Ali Cree.

"Coaches and players could rely on him, you can trust he'll give 100 percent every game and every shift and never take a day off" said GB regular Mosey, who has been linked to a move to Cardiff Devils.

Meanwhile, if Mosey is confirmed as a Cardiff player he will be playing alongside another versatile forward, but one who is new to the UK.

The Welsh have announced their first new signing for the 2023/24 season, Jamie Arniel, 33, a former Boston Bruins asset and DEL championship winner with Berlin.

Steelers have yet to declare who their newly-signed imports are, but coach Aaron Fox has indicated an interest in importing some size into the camp.