Goaltender Cam Ward Steps Away From The NHL After 14 Years

By Jordan Long

Goaltender Cam Ward decided to step away from the NHL after 14 years.  He agreed to sign a 1-day contract to retire as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes where he spent 13 seasons.  He is the top goaltender in Carolina history.

                Ward was drafted by the Hurricanes in 2002.  He wouldn’t see his first action at the NHL level until the 2005-2006 season.  He served as the backup to Martin Gerber.  That year he went 14-8-2 posting a 3.86 goals against average and a save percentage of .882. 

                In the postseason, Gerber started, but the Hurricanes found themselves down 0-2 to Montreal in the first-round.  Head Coach Peter Laviolette needed a spark in net and turned to Ward.  Ward helped Carolina win that series in 6 games.  They stuck with him and they ended up winning the Stanley Cup.  Ward was 15-8 in the playoffs with a goals against average of 2.14.  For his play, Ward took home the Conn Smythe trophy as the MVP of the playoffs.

                Ward’s best regular season for Carolina was in 2009.  He recorded a career high 39 victories and a goals against average of 2.44.  Ward gave Carolina a chance to win every night.  Carolina made the playoffs but Ward struggled a bit going 8-10 with a goals against average of 2.67.  He was saving the puck from going into the net with a save percentage of .915.  Carolina was ousted in the Eastern Conference Finals in 4 games by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

                He would win 30+ games for Carolina 5 times, but at the end of the 2018 season, Ward was a free agent.  He agreed to a 1-year, $3 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 1^st.   Chicago needed a backup goaltender and Ward was expected to provide that role.  He went 16-12-4 with a goals against average of 3.67.  The 16 wins were the fewest for him since 2014. 

                This offseason Ward had a chance to think about his NHL future.  He decided it was best to walk away and retire as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. According to NBCsports.com, Ward said, “It was an honor and a privilege to wear the Hurricanes jersey for 13 years. Throughout it all, what stayed clear to me was my love for this organization, this city and this fan base. It is why my family and I call Raleigh home, and will continue to call it home. I appreciate all of the support the fans gave me throughout the highs and the lows. I thank you. I’d also like to thank the great teammates, coaches and staff members I worked with during my time as a player in Carolina. I will always treasure my memories as a player at PNC Arena, from winning the Stanley Cup to representing the organization in the All-Star Game. While this wasn’t an easy decision, I’m looking forward to making the transition with my family and seeing what the future holds for me post career.”

                Ward leaves the game with a career record of 334-256-88, a goals against average of 2.74 and a save percentage of .908.  He also added 27 shutouts.  Ward is the career leader in Carolina history for wins with 318.   Ward has a Stanley Cup and was voted to the All-Star Game once.  There wasn’t anything left for him to play for.

                The Hurricanes need to retire his jersey because of his play.  That must happen soon.  Ward should be in consideration for the Hockey Hall of Fame.  His body of work shows he was one of the top goaltenders in the NHL. Only time will tell if both of these will happen for Ward.