Carolina Hurricanes: Aaron Ward Ranked 46th Best Hurricane of All-Time
This summer, CardiacCane will be counting down the greatest Carolina Hurricanes players of all-time, ranking them from number 50 to number 1.
Starting June 1st, we will be unveiling our list of the best Canes players ever, ordering them from 1 to 50. The players ranked 50 through 26 will be unveiled in June, then the top 25 in July and August.
Our list was complied from the personal lists of all of our contributors. Each player ranking was averaged between all the lists to make one truly definitive Carolina Hurricanes all-time player list.
#46 – Aaron Ward
Few players in Carolina Hurricanes history are as polarizing a figure as defenseman Aaron Ward. For better and for worse, Ward played major parts in all three deep Cup runs in 2000’s, even when he opposed the Hurricanes. One thing remains certain though, he was a important and long time servant to the Canes franchise.
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In the summer of 2001, Carolina acquired Ward from the Red Wings for a 2nd round pick. He brought a solid base of experience with two Stanley Cups to his name. That experience helped push the Canes into a surprise Cup appearance against Ward’s former team. Detroit won the series in five games.
Ward then remained with the team through the tough in between years of 2003 and 2004, providing the Canes with physicality and grit on the blue line. It wasn’t till after the lockout that he really came out of his shell.
In 2005-06, Ward had his best statistically season, including 6 goals from the defensive defenseman. His stellar performances continued into the spring. Controversially, he battled (or played through) a concussion in the Stanley Cup Finals. In those Finals, he capped off the best season of his career by scoring in Game 7 of the Finals and lifting his third Cup.
Like many veterans from that team, Ward left Carolina to play elsewhere, bouncing to the Rangers then the Bruins soon after. Ward was heard from again when Carolina met the Bruins in the playoffs in 2009. Let’s just say it was a heated affair.
Even after that, Ward rejoined the Canes again the next season, playing out 60 games before being traded to the Ducks at the 2010 deadline. He would retire that summer, ending his 16 year NHL career.
Next: Carolina Hurricanes All-Time List: #47 Martin Gerber
Ward’s Carolina journey took a strange turn after the Walker incident, making the once revered Hurricane a sort of villain. From a Caniac’s perspective, it was a real shame that the heated 2009 Boston series manifested itself with two Canes heroes going at it. Hopefully, it is something Canes fans can overlook. They should try to only remember Ward’s blast that got the ball rolling in Game 7.