James Pease represented Great Britain during his time with Blaze

Coventry Blaze record appearance holder James Pease is to retire to become the club's new general manager - at 27.

"This is very much my club," said Pease, who first joined Blaze at 16. "I believe I can make a significant contribution off the ice.

"Part of me will miss actually playing but I just can't wait to get started."

Pease has made more appearances in a Blaze shirt than any other, playing 631 times in a 12-year career that ends away to Newcastle on Sunday.

He has some tremendous ideas for the club Andy Buxton, Blaze chairman

The defenceman joined Milton Keynes Lightning at the start of the season but retained a part-time role with Coventry.

And he will hang up his skates after the double header with Newcastle at the weekend, which will see him make his final appearance at the Skydome on Saturday.

Blaze chairman Andy Buxton added: "When we sat down with him to discuss the position it was clear that he has some tremendous ideas for the club and that he has the same passion for the off-ice side of things that he had when he was playing.

"He will have full responsibility for the operational side of the business, in particular our commercial activity, our marketing and our retail activities.

"We believe it's a very positive thing for us to bring all of these activities directly under one person going forward.

"His new position does mean that he will have to finish his playing career as it really isn't possible to combine the two roles and I think it's a great measure of how much he wanted to take on the role here that he was prepared to hang his skates up."

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