Cole McWard
American defenseman who scored in his second NHL game.
Cole McWard is an American professional ice hockey defenseman currently under contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL. He has also played for the Vancouver Canucks and New York Islanders at the NHL level, and he played college hockey at Ohio State University.
McWard was born on June 9, 2001, in Fenton, Missouri, to Tina and Patrick. He started skating at age three after watching his older brother Gannon take up the sport. His first organized team was the Meramec Sharks, and he later played on various single-A and double-AA teams.
In the 2016–17 season, while playing for the St. Louis AAA Blues, the Tri-City Storm selected him 80th overall in the 2017 USHL Phase I draft. He stayed with the Blues through 2018 while also playing for Westminster Christian Academy, where he helped the Wildcats win back-to-back state titles. That year, he was part of Team USA’s win at the 2017 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
McWard made his USHL debut on December 28, 2017, as a call-up, but spent the rest of the season with the Wildcats and Blues. He finished the 2017–18 season with 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points at Westminster. He joined Tri-City full-time in 2018–19, scoring his first USHL goal on November 9, 2018, and finishing his rookie season with one goal and five assists in 48 games, earning a spot on the USHL All-Academic Team. The following season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, but before the stoppage he posted eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points in 48 games.
During the 2020–21 season, McWard committed to Ohio State for the 2021–22 season. At the time, he led all Storm defensemen with one goal and four assists in seven games. He and Carter Mazur were named co-captains, with Matthew Knies, Nick Portz, Kyle Aucoin, and goaltender Todd Scott as alternates. On February 10, 2021, he was named USHL Defenseman of the Week after scoring four goals in two games against Sioux Falls. He finished the season with a career-high 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points, ranking fourth among USHL defensemen, and was named to the All-USHL Second Team.
At Ohio State, McWard played for the Buckeyes from 2021 to 2023, majoring in business at the Fisher College of Business. He recorded his first collegiate point, an assist, on October 15, 2021, against UConn, and his first collegiate goal on January 1, 2022, against LIU.
Quick Facts
- Height
- 6 ft 1 in
- Weight
- 192 lb
- Born
- 9 June 2001
- Birthplace
- Fenton, Missouri, U.S.
- Position
- Defense
- Shoots
- Right
- League
- NHL
- Team
- Toronto Maple Leafs
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
McWard began skating at age three after watching his older brother Gannon play hockey. He first played organized hockey with the Meramec Sharks and later with multiple single-A and double-AA teams. While with the St. Louis AAA Blues in 2016–17, he was drafted 80th overall by the Tri-City Storm in the 2017 USHL Phase I draft. He also played for Westminster Christian Academy, helping the Wildcats win back-to-back state championships, and was a member of Team USA that won the 2017 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament. McWard made his USHL debut on December 28, 2017, as an affiliate call-up, and joined the Storm full-time in 2018–19. He was named to the USHL All-Academic Team as a rookie. In the 2020–21 season, he was named co-captain of the Storm and finished with a career-high 14 goals and 19 assists, earning All-USHL Second Team honors. He committed to Ohio State University for the 2021–22 season, where he played for the Buckeyes and majored in business at the Fisher College of Business. McWard scored his first collegiate point on October 15, 2021, and his first collegiate goal on January 1, 2022. He attended the New Jersey Devils development camp as a free agent invitee before returning to Ohio State for his sophomore season.
Reader's Guide
McWard signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks on April 4, 2023, after his sophomore season at Ohio State. He made his NHL debut two days later against the Chicago Blackhawks and scored his first NHL goal in his second game against the Calgary Flames on April 9. He spent most of the 2023–24 season with the Canucks' AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks, with a brief call-up in November 2023. The Canucks re-signed him to a one-year, two-way contract on June 20, 2024. In the 2024–25 season, he again started with Abbotsford and was recalled in December but did not play an NHL game. He recorded six goals and 20 assists in 67 AHL games and added a goal and an assist in 12 Calder Cup playoff games as the Canucks won the Calder Cup. The Canucks did not give him a qualifying offer, making him a free agent on July 1, 2025. He then signed a one-year, two-way contract with the New York Islanders. After scoring five goals and 11 assists with the Bridgeport Islanders, he was called up on January 3, 2026, and played three scoreless NHL games before being sent down. He was Bridgeport's representative to the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic. He finished the season with six goals and 21 assists in 63 AHL games and went scoreless in two playoff games. On July 2, 2026, he signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent.
Did You Know?
- McWard scored his first NHL goal in his second career game, against the Calgary Flames on April 9, 2023.
- McWard was named the USHL's Defenseman of the Week on February 10, 2021, after scoring four goals in two games.
- He won the Calder Cup with the Abbotsford Canucks in 2025, recording a goal and an assist in the playoffs.
More in Vancouver Canucks Players 1-24
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