Lance Ward

Last updated
Lance Ward
Born (1978-06-02) June 2, 1978 (age 47)
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Florida Panthers
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
HV71 Jönköping
Frankfurt Lions
NHL draft 10th overall, 1996
New Jersey Devils
63rd overall, 1998
Florida Panthers
Playing career 19982011
Johan Davidsson (left) and Lance Ward Johan Davidsson.JPG
Johan Davidsson (left) and Lance Ward

Lance Ward (born June 2, 1978) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He holds the current Elitserien record for most penalty minutes during one season. [1]

Contents

Playing career

Born in Lloydminster, Alberta, Ward was originally drafted 10th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, but he re-entered the draft and was selected 63rd overall by the Florida Panthers in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Ward has played 209 career NHL games, scoring 4 goals and 12 assists for 16 points, and 391 penalty minutes. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout Ward did not play.

Ward signed a one-year contract on June 5, 2006, with the Swedish Elitserien club HV71 from Jönköping. [2] On February 20, 2007, in a game against Färjestads BK, Ward broke both HV71's club record and the Elitserien record for most penalty minutes in one season when he checked one player into the boards and seconds later speared another in front of the crease. The sequence ended with Ward being penalized with 7 minutes plus game misconduct (adding another 20 minutes). [3]

During the off-season 2007–08, Ward turned down a contract extension from HV71 to instead sign a two-year deal with the Austrian club Graz 99ers. In June, 2007, Graz revoked the contract and stated they will not pay Ward the amount settled in the signing. [4] Ward returned to Sweden and re-signed with HV71 for another year. [5]

After winning the Elitserien playoff finals with HV71 in 2008, Ward signed with the German DEL team Frankfurt Lions. [6] After one season with Frankfurt, he signed a two-year contract to return to HV71 in 2009. [7]

Post career

Lance Ward was hired on as a full-time staff member within the Lloydminster public school hockey division in 2015. With Ward's new position, he has also been named the director of its hockey academy. [8]

Awards

Records

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1993–94 Lloydminster Blazers AJHL 208122068
1994–95 Red Deer Rebels WHL 2800029
1995–96 Red Deer RebelsWHL72413171271004410
1996–97 Red Deer RebelsWHL70534392291603336
1997–98 Red Deer RebelsWHL7182533233500016
1998–99 Fort Wayne Komets IHL 1302228
1998–99 Beast of New Haven AHL 4325751
1998–99 Miami Matadors ECHL 610112
1999–2000 Louisville Panthers AHL40006
2000–01 Florida Panthers NHL 3002245
2000–01 Louisville PanthersAHL3532578
2001–02 Florida PanthersNHL68145131
2002–03 Florida PanthersNHL3631478
2002–03 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL2901143
2003–04 Mighty Ducks of AnaheimNHL4604494
2003–04 Cincinnati Mighty Ducks AHL50116
2005–06 Binghamton Senators AHL8032023278
2006–07 HV71 SEL 5064102731400047
2007–08 HV71SEL520772121600066
2008–09 Frankfurt Lions DEL 411238610000
2009–10 HV71SEL3003373900010
2010–11 HV71SEL1100022
NHL totals20941216391
AHL totals24312445660340006
SEL totals1436142058039000123

References

  1. "Lance Ward". Elite Prospects. www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2010-01-30.
  2. Gustafsson, Daniel (2006-06-05). "NHL-meriterad back till HV71". HV71.se (in Swedish). HV71 . Retrieved 2006-06-08.[ dead link ]
  3. "Lance Ward historisk buse". Hockeyligan.se (in Swedish). Svenska Hockeyligan AB. 2007-02-20. Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
  4. Ros, Tomas; Abrahamsson, Hans (2007-06-05). "Busen letar ny klubb i Sverige". Aftonbladet.se (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. Archived from the original on 2007-06-08. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  5. Gustafsson, Daniel (2006-06-05). "Publikfavoriten Ward stannar i HV71". HV71.se (in Swedish). HV71. Archived from the original on 2007-08-15. Retrieved 2007-06-08.
  6. "Lance Ward lämnar HV". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 2008-04-14. Retrieved 2008-04-19.[ dead link ]
  7. Wengel, Daniel (2009-01-16). "Lance Ward tillbaka i HV71". HV71.se (in Swedish). HV71. Archived from the original on 2009-01-24. Retrieved 2009-01-16.
  8. "Minor changes to Hockey Academy | Lloydminster Meridian Booster". Archived from the original on 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2016-09-16.