Joel Ward is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was born on December 2, 1980, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and grew up in North York. Ward began his hockey career playing for the Owen Sound Platers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 1998. He played for the Platers for three seasons before moving on to play for the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers.
After college, Ward signed with the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2006. He played for the Aeros for two seasons before being called up to the NHL by the Minnesota Wild in 2008. Ward played in 11 games for the Wild before being traded to the Nashville Predators in 2008.
Ward played for the Predators for three seasons and became known for his physical play and ability to score clutch goals. He scored his first NHL playoff goal in 2011, which helped the Predators advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Ward continued to play for the Predators until 2011 when he signed with the Washington Capitals as a free agent.
Ward played for the Capitals for four seasons and was a key player on the team's power play unit. He scored 24 goals and had 25 assists in his first season with the Capitals. Ward continued to be a consistent scorer for the Capitals and helped the team reach the playoffs in each of his four seasons with the team.
In 2015, Ward signed with the San Jose Sharks as a free agent. He played for the Sharks for one season before signing with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017. Ward played for the Golden Knights for one season before retiring from professional hockey in 2018.
Throughout his career, Ward was known for his physical play, ability to score clutch goals, and leadership on and off the ice. He was a fan favorite and respected by his teammates and opponents alike. Ward finished his NHL career with 133 goals and 171 assists in 726 games played.
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