Steve Ward (born February 13, 1986) is a former Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman.
Playing career Following five seasons of major junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League where he played with 249 games with the Sarnia Sting and Plymouth Whalers, Ward turned professional in 2007, splitting his rookie 2007–08 season between the Florida Everblades of the ECHL and Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League (AHL). Ward played in all seven games played by Albany during the 2008 Calder Cup playoffs, including the longest game in AHL history which occurred on April 24, 2008 during game five of the East Division Semifinals against the Philadelphia Phantoms, which continued 2:58 into the fifth overtime period before Philadelphia scored to end the marathon game.
Ward went on to play seven seasons of professional hockey in North America, including 55 regular-season and playoff games in the AHL, and 372 regular-season and playoff games in the ECHL. From 2010 to 2013, Ward played with the Alaska Aces, helping his team capture the Brabham Cup three times as the ECHL regular-season champion, and also winning the 2011 Kelly Cup in as the ECHL playoff champions.
Following the 2013–14 spent with the Brampton Beast of the Central Hockey League, Ward signed with the Nottingham Panthers to play the 2014–15 season in the Elite Ice Hockey League. However, due to health issues that flared up before his first training camp in the EIHL, he was forced to retire from professional hockey.
Career statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2002–03North York RangersOPJHL4615638 — — — — —2002–03Sarnia StingOHL60002310102003–04Sarnia StingOHL43381126510162004–05Plymouth WhalersOHL675131856401122005–06Plymouth WhalersOHL671433479013066182006–07Plymouth WhalersOHL67153045842011213162007–08Florida EverbladesECHL451131449 — — — — —2007–08Albany River RatsAHL2817815701142008–09Reading RoyalsECHL396192519 — — — — —2008–09Albany River RatsAHL60110 — — — — —2008–09San Antonio RampageAHL40004 — — — — —2008–09Norfolk AdmiralsAHL10110 — — — — —2008–09Portland PiratesAHL81127 — — — — —2008–09Charlotte CheckersECHL61122602262009–10Charlotte CheckersECHL706212751110222 2010–11 Alaska Aces ECHL 69 5 18 23 44 13 1 5 6 4 2010–11 Peoria Rivermen AHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2011–12 Alaska Aces ECHL 62 5 20 25 63102130 2012–13 Alaska Aces ECHL 37 1 12 13 27101456 2013–14 Brampton Beast CHL 32 3 9 12 1850110 ECHL totals 328 25 104 129 255 44 4 12 16 12
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