Jason Ward (ice hockey)

Jason Ward
Ward with the Hamilton Bulldogs in 2003
Born (1979-01-16) January 16, 1979 (age 45)
Chapleau, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shot Right
Played for Montreal Canadiens
New York Rangers
Los Angeles Kings
Tampa Bay Lightning
EHC Black Wings Linz
NHL Draft 11th overall, 1997
Montreal Canadiens
Playing career 1999–2011

Jason Robert Ward (born January 16, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He has played 336 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, and Tampa Bay Lightning. He was born in Chapleau, Ontario.

Playing career[edit]

Ward was drafted 11th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. He played 186 career NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens, the New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings, scoring 20 goals and 28 assists for 48 points. When he was traded to the Kings, the deal sent agitator Sean Avery to the Rangers providing them boost for a playoff push.[1] On February 27, 2007, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a fifth round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, making the third time he was traded during the 2006–07 season. He scored his first Lightning goal in his debut with the team.

After completing the 2009–10 season in the American Hockey League with Philadelphia Flyers affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms, Ward was unable to garner a new NHL contract for the following 2010–11 season. In order to maintain game shape, Ward voluntarily took on a position as an assistant coach for major junior team the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League while on the lookout for a new contract. On November 15, 2010, Ward signed a one-year contract and played his last professional season with Austrian team, EHC Black Wings Linz, of the EBEL.[2]

Ward has the distinction of scoring his first NHL goal, in his first NHL game, on his first NHL shot, all three milestones coming at Madison Square Garden against Mike Richter and the New York Rangers on December 3, 1999 [3]

Career statistics[edit]

Regular season and playoffs[edit]

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1994–95 Oshawa Legionaires MetJHL 47 30 31 61 75
1995–96 Niagara Falls Thunder OHL 64 15 35 50 139 10 6 4 10 23
1996–97 Erie Otters OHL 58 25 39 64 137 5 1 2 3 2
1997–98 Erie Otters OHL 21 7 9 16 42
1997–98 Windsor Spitfires OHL 26 19 27 46 34
1997–98 Fredericton Canadiens AHL 7 1 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 2
1998–99 Windsor Spitfires OHL 12 8 11 19 25
1998–99 Plymouth Whalers OHL 23 14 13 27 28 11 6 8 14 2
1998–99 Fredericton Canadiens AHL 10 4 2 6 22
1999–00 Montreal Canadiens NHL 32 2 1 3 10
1999–00 Québec Citadelles AHL 40 14 12 26 30 3 2 1 3 4
2000–01 Montreal Canadiens NHL 12 0 0 0 12
2000–01 Québec Citadelles AHL 23 7 12 19 69
2001–02 Québec Citadelles AHL 78 24 33 57 128 3 0 0 0 2
2002–03 Montreal Canadiens NHL 8 3 2 5 0
2002–03 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 69 31 41 72 78 23 12 9 21 20
2003–04 Montreal Canadiens NHL 53 5 7 12 21 5 0 2 2 2
2003–04 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 2 0 3 3 17
2004–05 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 77 20 34 54 66 4 2 1 3 2
2005–06 New York Rangers NHL 81 10 18 28 44 1 0 0 0 2
2006–07 New York Rangers NHL 46 4 6 10 26
2006–07 Los Angeles Kings NHL 7 0 1 1 4
2006–07 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 17 4 4 8 10 6 0 1 1 6
2007–08 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 79 8 6 14 42
2008–09 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 1 0 0 0 2
2008–09 Norfolk Admirals AHL 21 2 7 9 16
2009–10 Adirondack Phantoms AHL 56 12 17 29 30
2010–11 EHC Linz AUT 35 9 10 19 50 5 0 1 1 26
2013–14 Dundas Real McCoys ACH 5 3 5 8 0 8 4 6 10 4
2013–14 Dundas Real McCoys AC 4 1 5 6 12
2015–16 Hamilton Steelhawks ACH 7 1 2 3 2
AHL totals 373 111 159 270 436 44 20 13 33 52
NHL totals 336 36 45 81 171 12 0 3 3 10

International[edit]

Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
1998 Canada WJC 7 1 0 1 2
1999 Canada WJC 7 1 1 2 8
Junior totals 14 2 1 3 10

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Kings deal Avery to Rangers". tsn.ca. 2007-02-05. Archived from the original on October 30, 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-25.
  2. ^ "Ex-NHLer storms for Linz". EHC Black Wings Linz. 2010-11-15. Retrieved 2010-12-13.
  3. ^ "Canadiens v Rangers". hockeyreference.com. 1999-12-03. Retrieved 2013-01-02.

External links[edit]

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Montreal Canadiens first round draft pick
1997
Succeeded by