Ward preparing for wave of emotion as Hawks visit Carolina
Before signing with the Blackhawks last off-season, Cam Ward spent his entire career playing for the Carolina Hurricanes.
So when the goalie steps between the pipes Monday to face his old team, you can bet there will be a Category 5's worth of emotions swirling in his head.
And if a video tribute comes on the scoreboard anywhere near as touching as the one the Hawks played for Niklas Hjalmarsson?
Well, coach Jeremy Colliton may need to use his timeout.
"I almost teared up," Ward admitted as Hjalmarsson's moving montage was played when Arizona was at the United Center on Oct. 18.
Added Ward: "Let's hope if they do happen to do a tribute that we don't give up a scoring chance immediately after. You try to be professional and anticipate that there might be something like that. I'm sure the emotions will be overwhelming.
"But I also have to do my job and make sure that I have clear eyes."
The 34-year-old Ward was a first-round pick of the Hurricanes in 2002 and played 668 games for them from 2005-18. In 2006, he backstopped Carolina to a Stanley Cup title by going 15-8 in the postseason and posting a .920 save percentage and 2.14 goals-against average.
And the details of June 19, 2006 - when the Hurricanes beat the Oilers 3-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final at Carolina - remain etched in his mind.
"I think for everyone when you win a Stanley Cup, you'll remember where you were when you hoisted it," said Ward, who became the first rookie goaltender since Montreal's Patrick Roy in 1986 to lead his team to the title. "It was on that ice and I can remember exactly in the spot that I was. Josef Vasicek handed it over to me.
"Those memories will remain with you forever."
Incredibly, the Hurricanes have reached the postseason only one time since - in 2009 when they were swept by the eventual-champion Penguins in the Eastern Conference final.
Last season, Carolina hoped to end an eight-year playoff drought by signing Scott Darling to a four-year, $16.6 million deal. But Darling struggled in his first season as a full-time starter and coach Bill Peters turned to Ward in an effort to turn things around.
Ward ended up going 23-14-4, but Carolina finished 36-35-11 and fell 14 points short of a playoff spot.
Still, Ward and Darling formed quite a bond.
"Oh, Cam - we were boys, man. I miss that guy," Darling said after Carolina beat the Hawks 4-3 at the United Center last Thursday. "He's a great goalie partner, a lot like Crow (Corey Crawford). Just a good guy and we got along great."
Ward concurred and was impressed with how Darling trained this off-season.
"I had a lot of fun playing with Scott," Ward said. "I wanted to do whatever I could to help him and push him to be better.
"In the meantime, our personalities just clicked. He's a real good human being and we had a lot of fun together. I had an opportunity to train with him this summer and was proud of the way he dedicated (himself) and came prepared for this year."
Come Monday, Ward will be squaring off against Darling and plenty of other former teammates he considers good friends.
It figures to feel anything but normal.
"I think it is weird," Ward said. "I'm not going to lie - it's weird to be able to be on the ice and there's a lot of guys over there that I played with for so many years.
"It'll be strange, but once the puck drops, the adrenaline will be pumping and it'll be game on like any other game and we'll try and get two points."
Scouting report
Scouting report
Blackhawks vs. Carolina Hurricanes, 6 p.m. Monday at PNC Arena
TV: NBCSCH • Radio: WGN 720-AM
The skinny: Carolina blew a 3-1 third-period lead and lost 4-3 in a shootout to Detroit on Saturday. The Hurricanes (7-7-3) outshot the Red Wings 52-32. … Teuvo Teravainen has 3 goals and 11 assists for Carolina, but he hasn't scored in six straight games. … Since scoring 22 goals in their first five games (4.4 average), the Blackhawks have 27 in their last 12 (2.25). … The Hawks are last in the league on the power play (12.5 percent); Carolina is 27th (14.3).
Next: St. Louis Blues at United Center, 7 p.m. Wednesday
- John Dietz