Joel Ward

Joel Ward (born December 2, 1980) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career
Undrafted, Ward played in the Ontario Hockey League with the Owen Sound Platers. After completing his four-year junior career and his final year of eligibility with the Platers in 2000–01, Ward linked up with lower tier professional team the Long Beach Ice Dogs of the West Coast Hockey League to end the season. An unsigned free agent to start the 2001–02 season, Ward attended the Detroit Red Wings training camp on a try-out but was recruited and played collegiately for the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers of the CIS.

Awarded Rookie of the year and the Panthers three time MVP while earning a degree in sociology in his four-year collegian career, Ward was invited to the Minnesota Wild's training camp in 2006. In his first full professional season he was assigned to the Wild's American Hockey League affiliate, the Houston Aeros, signing his first professional contract for the entire 2005–06 season.

After impressing with his work ethic, Ward earned a two-year deal with the Wild on September 27, 2006. Ward debuted in 11 NHL games with the Minnesota Wild during the 2006–07 season but primarily stayed with the Aeros, developing into a responsible two-way player and improving his points totals in each of his three years.

On July 15, 2008, Ward signed as a free agent to a one-year deal with the Nashville Predators. He made the opening night roster out of training camp for the 2008–09 season and scored his first NHL goal in his first game as a Predator against the St. Louis Blues on October 10, 2008.

As a 28 year old ineligible rookie he scored 17 goals in 79 games and his reliability as a defensive forward and success as a utility scoring forward led him to be re-signed to a two-year contract on July 1, 2009.

Ward became a free agent after the 2010-11 season and signed a four-year contract worth $12 million with the Washington Capitals on July 1, 2011.