Jason Robert Ward (born January 16, 1979) is a former Canadian professional ice hockey right winger. He has formerly played 336 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, and Tampa Bay Lightning. He was drafted by the Canadiens in the first round, 11th overall, of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. Ward was born in Chapleau, Ontario, but grew up in Oshawa, Ontario.
Playing career
Ward was drafted 11th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. He has played 186 career NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens, the New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings, scoring 20 goals and 28 assists for 48 points. When he was traded to the Kings, the deal sent agitator Sean Avery to the Rangers providing them boost for a playoff push. On February 27, 2007, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a fifth round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, making the third time he was traded during the 2006-07 season. He scored his first Lightning goal in his debut with the team.
After completing the 2009-10 season in the American Hockey League with Philadelphia Flyers affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms, Ward was unable to garner a new NHL contract for the following 2010-11 season. In order to maintain game shape, Ward voluntarily took on a position as an assistant coach for major junior team the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League while on the lookout for a new contract. On November 15, 2010, Ward signed a one-year contract and played his last professional season with Austrian team, EHC Black Wings Linz, of the EBEL.
Jason Ward has the distinction of scoring his first NHL goal, in his first NHL game, on his first NHL shot, all three milestones coming at Madison Square Garden against the Mike Richter and the New York Rangers on December 3, 1999
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
1994-95 | Oshawa Legionaires | MetJHL | 47 | 30 | 31 | 61 | 75 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1995-96 | Niagara Falls Thunder | OHL | 64 | 15 | 35 | 50 | 139 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 23 | ||
1996-97 | Erie Otters | OHL | 58 | 25 | 39 | 64 | 137 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||
1997-98 | Erie Otters | OHL | 21 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1997-98 | Windsor Spitfires | OHL | 26 | 19 | 27 | 46 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1997-98 | Fredericton Canadiens | AHL | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
1998-99 | Windsor Spitfires | OHL | 12 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1998-99 | Plymouth Whalers | OHL | 23 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 28 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 12 | ||
1998-99 | Fredericton Canadiens | AHL | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 22 | ||
1999-00 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 32 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1999-00 | Quebec Citadelles | AHL | 40 | 14 | 12 | 26 | 30 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||
2000-01 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2000-01 | Quebec Citadelles | AHL | 23 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2001-02 | Quebec Citadelles | AHL | 78 | 24 | 33 | 57 | 128 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
2002-03 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 69 | 31 | 41 | 72 | 78 | 23 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 20 | ||
2002-03 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 8 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2003-04 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 53 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
2003-04 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2004-05 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 77 | 20 | 34 | 54 | 66 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
2005-06 | New York Rangers | NHL | 81 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
2006-07 | New York Rangers | NHL | 46 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2006-07 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2006-07 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 17 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
2007-08 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 79 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2008-09 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2008-09 | Norfolk Admirals | AHL | 21 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2009-10 | Adirondack Phantoms | AHL | 56 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2010-11 | EHC Black Wings Linz | EBEL | 35 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 50 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 26 | ||
NHL totals | 336 | 36 | 45 | 81 | 171 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
Medal record | ||
---|---|---|
Representing Canada | ||
Ice hockey | ||
World Junior Championships | ||
1999 Winnipeg |
International
Year | Team | Comp | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1998 | Canada | WJC | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
1999 | Canada | WJC | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
Junior int'l totals | 14 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 |