Sheffield Steelers player commends his club's bravery after ice hockey tragedy

Jones said the incident and its aftermath had afforded him the chance to re-evaluate the club, its spirit and its fans.

And he thanked those who have stayed strong.

"As many of you are aware, the past few weeks have been challenging for all of us here in Sheffield" he posted on social media.

"During times like these, it compels you to take a step back and truly value everything you have.

"Throughout this ordeal, I've come to realise just how fortunate I am to be surrounded by such an extraordinary group of teammates, significant others, and staff with the Steelers organisation.

"Numerous tears have been shed in the recent weeks, and I am thankful to have had these individuals by my side throughout this journey.

"I've also never been more astounded than I am now by how a collective of people can come together in such an exceptional manner.

"This community has shown tremendous courage in returning to the rink and supporting us as we strive to regain some sense of normalcy" he posted.

"I've always been appreciative of playing in front of such incredible fans, but my sense of gratitude has never been stronger than in the past few weeks.

"From the depths of my heart, thank you, Sheffield."

Meanwhile, Kameron Kielly has left Steelers after becoming a victim of the hot competition for places.

Ironically, Kielly had vouched for the talents of his buddy Mitchell Balmas - coach Aaron Fox brought Balmas in September and he has been an ever-present ever since.

That's not been the situation for Kielly, who was signed in July.

He ventured out on to EIHL ice six times out of 16 games, scoring a single goal.