Cam Ward

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Ward was born in Saskatoon, growing up there and in Sherwood Park, Alberta. During his three-year junior career in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Red Deer Rebels, he was selected 25th overall by the Hurricanes in the 2002 NHL entry draft. After a season with the Hurricanes' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lowell Lock Monsters, he won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs. He became the first starting goaltender to win the Stanley Cup as a rookie since Patrick Roy in 1986.

In Their Own Story

The defining moment of Ward's career arrived during the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs. After spending his first professional season with the Lowell Lock Monsters, where he set franchise records for wins and save percentage, Ward was thrust into the Hurricanes' starting lineup. He led Carolina through a grueling postseason run that culminated in the team winning the Stanley Cup. His performance was so exceptional that he was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. This achievement marked a historic milestone: Ward became the first starting goaltender to win the Stanley Cup as a rookie since Patrick Roy achieved the feat in 1986. The victory capped a rapid ascent from his days back-uping Shane Bendera in the WHL to becoming a championship-winning netminder on the NHL's biggest stage.

Reader's Guide

Ward was drafted in 2002, not 2003. He was selected 25th overall, not 5th. He won the Del Wilson Trophy once, not twice.

Did You Know?

• Ward was born on February 29, 1984.
• He won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2006.
• He was drafted 25th overall by the Hurricanes in 2002.