As time passes, and we avidly follow our favorite sports teams, many players come and go. While we may recall them during their time with the team, some slip through the crevices of our memory, only to resurface through a nostalgic memory or an old piece of media, causing us to reconnect their faces and names with the iconic Rangers uniform.
Among the hallowed names like Messier, Leetch, Giacomin, Lundqvist, and others, there are those more unknown Rangers, such as Eric Reitz, Matt Gilroy, Ales Kotalik, Chris Higgins, and others who may have faded from our recollection. As we traverse the regular season, we’ll delve into a few of these “Forgotten Rangers.”
In this edition, we look at two guys who share the same last name.
Aaron Ward, Defenseman
Time with Rangers: 60 games in 2006-07
Drafted fifth overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 1991, he was later traded to the Detroit Red Wings. Ward played for the Adirondack Red Wings, making his NHL debut in 1993–94. He played over 600 NHL games, winning three Stanley Cups—two with the Red Wings in 1997-1998 and one with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.
Following the 2006 season, Ward, now an unrestricted free agent, signed with the New York Rangers, reuniting with 2006 Cup-winning teammate Matt Cullen. Recognized for his defensive prowess, he managed to contribute six goals and 19 assists during that season, making him an appealing addition to a freshly charged Ranger team upon signing a two-year, $5.5 million contract.
However, the reality for the Rangers was far from ideal, as drama and tension unfolded with Ward engaging in a feud with team captain Jaromir Jagr. The discord reached its peak during a heated shouting match on the bench in a February game in Tampa. Despite the lack of public admission of difficulties between Jagr and Ward, the situation became evident when Ward found himself benched just before the trade deadline, eventually leading to his trade to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Paul Mara.
In 2009, he returned to Carolina but struggled, leading to a trade to the Anaheim Ducks in 2010. Ward retired on August 24, 2010, after a 13-season NHL career.
Jason Ward, Forward
Time with Rangers: 127 games over two seasons (2005-2007)
Selected 11th overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, Ward’s NHL career spanned 186 games with the Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Los Angeles Kings, amassing 20 goals and 28 assists. Ward would score 14 goals as a Ranger over 127 games over two seasons in New York
The one thing many Ranger fans might remember him for is the trade the Rangers made with the Kings, bringing agitator Sean Avery to New York, providing a boost for their playoff push. Amidst a dynamic 2006–07 season, Ward was traded again, this time to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
Following the 2009–10 season, Ward found himself in the American Hockey League with the Adirondack Phantoms, unable to secure a new NHL contract for the subsequent season. In a unique move to stay in game shape, he took on the role of an assistant coach for the Brampton Battalion in the Ontario Hockey League. Subsequently, on November 15, 2010, Ward signed a one-year contract and concluded his professional career with the Austrian team EHC Black Wings Linz in the EBEL.
Notably, Ward holds the distinction of scoring his first NHL goal, on his first NHL shot, in his debut game, all three milestones achieved at Madison Square Garden against Mike Richter and the New York Rangers on December 3, 1999.
Share:
More About:Players