VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds are adding a major piece to their future with the signing of defenceman Jace Weir ahead of the 2025-26 Canada West season.
A native of Coldstream, B.C., Weir played his entire five-year WHL career with the Red Deer Rebels and brings a solid skill set and a strong two-way game and expects to be a major factor for one of the country's strongest blue lines in both the near and long term.
"I've played the last five years in Alberta and I've loved it, but going into school and other things to think about, I just thought UBC was the best fit for me both on the ice and off the ice," said Weir who is thrilled to be playing back in his home province. "I love the Vancouver area, I've been there many, many times and I'm very comfortable there. I met the coaches, they're top tier. They showed me around and I saw the campus at UBC, it's crazy what it has to offer and I just loved everything about it. I'm really happy."
The six-foot-2, 176 pound blue liner prides himself on his defensive play but also his ability to help create offence, evidenced by his 87 points through 279 games with the Rebels.
"I'm a two-way defenceman who can play in all areas of the game, all zones of the ice," said Weir. "Something I'd like to add going into the next year is the offensive side of my game…I think that's something I can really take another step in. And also just keep progressing and get better in my defensive game."
"We're ecstatic. He's got a good skill set with the caveat he hasn't really had the opportunity to really try some stuff," said UBC head coach,
Sven Butenschon, who is excited for what he believes can be some serious unlocked potential in Weir's offence. "We've had pretty good success with the
Jake Lees and
Cyle McNabbs and
Liam Kindrees who have a ton of talent who never really got the chance in junior to showcase those skills. I'm expecting Jace to come in with lots of confidence and maybe add layers to his game."
While the T-Birds said goodbye to graduating senior
Conner McDonald who was a stalwart on defence for the blue and gold the last four seasons, Weir's addition combined with a plethora of returning talent makes for a pretty formidable defensive core come this fall.
"I'm so excited," Butenschon said. "(Alex) Serraglio and (Kayden) Sadhra-Kang came in last year and earned their stripes. By the end of the year they were regulars and they were absolutely dialled in playoffs. You add those two guys and you got the veterans like Leezer and (Jonny) Lambos and
Matthew Smith and then Nolan Dillingham who redshirted for us who has an incredible pedigree. Jace is the icing on the cake, he's a tall, long, right handed defenceman who plays the game the right way. Our D core is going to be rock solid."
Aiming to gain entry into UBC's Sauder School of Business, Weir sees a perfect fit for himself both on and off the ice at Point Grey, despite a myriad of options for him to continue his playing career on both sides of the border.
"I considered NCAA but at the end of the day, I feel this is the best route for me and the best option that I have," Weir said. "Just based off everything from location and the team and coaches, I just think everything pointed to UBC. Obviously with the NCAA thing opening up there are lots of guys going that route but personally for me, I just wanted to stay in Canada and get my schooling and play for a very, very strong program."
In addition to what Weir will bring to the team on the ice, it's the 20 year-old's maturity and character which Butenschon sees as having just as big an impact for his squad.
"The landscape of recruiting and junior hockey and university hockey has really been flipped upside down," Butenschon added. "So for us to have really solid conversations with Jace was just so refreshing, to hear a guy who is speaking very maturely, understanding the hockey life, academics, his future, all that stuff has just been so impressive. It kind of takes me back to recruiting some of the core guys we currently have like
Chris Douglas, Scotty Atkinson,
Sasha Mutala,
Sam Huo. All of these guys could have gone a different path and could have done things differently but they're really mature and smart kids who understand life and hockey. Jace just seems to get it."
Weir will also now have the chance to reunite with
Chris Douglas, his former teammate in Red Deer, the two competing for the Rebels in what was Weir's rookie season and Douglas' last.
With visions of taking a run at another Canada West title and more in 2025-26, the T-Birds now have another big piece to help them on their quest.
