Steve Ward (ice hockey)

Steve Ward (born February 13, 1986) is a former Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman.

Steve Ward
Born (1986-02-13) February 13, 1986 (age 38)
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Right
team
Former teams
Retired
AHL
Albany River Rats
San Antonio Rampage
Norfolk Admirals
Portland Pirates
Peoria Rivermen
ECHL
Alaska Aces
Florida Everblades
Reading Royals
Charlotte Checkers
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 2007–2014

Playing career

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Following five seasons of major junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League where he played with 249 games with the Sarnia Sting and Plymouth Whalers, Ward turned professional in 2007, splitting his rookie 2007–08 season between the Florida Everblades of the ECHL and Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League (AHL). Ward played in all seven games played by Albany during the 2008 Calder Cup playoffs, including the longest game in AHL history which occurred on April 24, 2008 during game five of the East Division Semifinals against the Philadelphia Phantoms, which continued 2:58 into the fifth overtime period before Philadelphia scored to end the marathon game.[1]

Ward went on to play seven seasons of professional hockey in North America, including 55 regular-season and playoff games in the AHL, and 372 regular-season and playoff games in the ECHL. From 2010 to 2013, Ward played with the Alaska Aces, helping his team capture the Brabham Cup three times as the ECHL regular-season champion, and also winning the 2011 Kelly Cup in as the ECHL playoff champions.

Following the 2013–14 spent with the Brampton Beast of the Central Hockey League, Ward signed with the Nottingham Panthers to play the 2014–15 season in the Elite Ice Hockey League.[2] However, due to health issues that flared up before his first training camp in the EIHL, he was forced to retire from professional hockey.[3]

Career statistics

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2002–03 North York Rangers OPJHL 46 1 5 6 38
2002–03 Sarnia Sting OHL 6 0 0 0 2 3 1 0 1 0
2003–04 Sarnia Sting OHL 43 3 8 11 26 5 1 0 1 6
2004–05 Plymouth Whalers OHL 67 5 13 18 56 4 0 1 1 2
2005–06 Plymouth Whalers OHL 67 14 33 47 90 13 0 6 6 18
2006–07 Plymouth Whalers OHL 67 15 30 45 84 20 1 12 13 16
2007–08 Florida Everblades ECHL 45 1 13 14 49
2007–08 Albany River Rats AHL 28 1 7 8 15 7 0 1 1 4
2008–09 Reading Royals ECHL 39 6 19 25 19
2008–09 Albany River Rats AHL 6 0 1 1 0
2008–09 San Antonio Rampage AHL 4 0 0 0 4
2008–09 Norfolk Admirals AHL 1 0 1 1 0
2008–09 Portland Pirates AHL 8 1 1 2 7
2008–09 Charlotte Checkers ECHL 6 1 1 2 2 6 0 2 2 6
2009–10 Charlotte Checkers ECHL 70 6 21 27 51 11 0 2 2 2
2010–11 Alaska Aces ECHL 69 5 18 23 44 13 1 5 6 4
2010–11 Peoria Rivermen AHL 1 0 0 0 0
2011–12 Alaska Aces ECHL 62 5 20 25 63 10 2 1 3 0
2012–13 Alaska Aces ECHL 37 1 12 13 27 10 1 4 5 6
2013–14 Brampton Beast CHL 32 3 9 12 18 5 0 1 1 0
ECHL totals 328 25 104 129 255 44 4 12 16 12

References

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  1. ^ "Phantoms win longest game in AHL history". American Hockey League. April 8, 2008. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
  2. ^ "Defenseman Steve Ward makes it three signings in a week". Nottingham Panthers. July 3, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  3. ^ "Steve Ward quits Nottingham for health reasons". Daily Star. August 5, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
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