Jaroslav Walter started out in youth hockey with Sokol Čimelice, but joined HC Dukla Jihlava in 1958. He played for them for two seasons before moving to CHZ Litvínov in 1960, playing there through 1964, when he joined ŠK Slovan Bratislava. Walter spent the final three seasons of his career in Austria, playing with Innsbrucker EV and EC Graz before retiring in 1972. A forward, who was a top scorer, Walter played in two international tournaments, winning bronze medals at both the 1963 World Championships and the 1964 Winter Olympics. Since the European Championships were decided in conjunction with these two events it meant that he also won a pair of European bronze medals. After retiring from active hockey he went to forge a successful coaching career. Walter had spells in charge of Slovan Bratislava and Dukla Trencin in his native Slovakia and also coached in Germany. The highlight of his career came in 1997 when Dukla Trencin were national champions. He also returned to the Olympics in 1992 as an assistant coach to Czechoslovakia.