Ward speaks French fluently, which he learned while growing up in Ottawa. In school, Aaron skipped two grades. From 1990 to 1993, Ward attended the University of Michigan on a hockey scholarship, where he was studying for a degree in communications.
Career
1993-94: Made his NHL debut 10/5 at DAL... His first NHL goal came in second game (10/8) at ANA. That was the Mighty Ducks' inaugural game and Ward's goal was the first scored against Anaheim in franchise history...1994-95: Appeared in one game for Detroit (3/17) vs. VAN, recording an assist... 1996-97: First full season with Detroit... Scored his first goal of the season 11/4 vs. HFD... First assist came on shorthanded goal 11/18 at PHX... Had three-game assist streak 11/18-23... 1997-98: Played 52 games for Detroit... Two of his five assists came on game-winners... Scored game-winner in 5-4 win at TB 2/5... Had a two-game goal streak (1/31-2/1)... 1998-99: Played 60 games for Detroit... Posted career highs in games played (60), assists (11) and points (11)... Two assists were on game-winning goals... Scored unassisted goal (11/18) at EDM... In Stanley Cup playoffs, appeared in the first eight games (out of 10) and had one assist... 1999-00: Appeared in just 36 games due to injuries... Played in 200th game 1/6 vs. NSH... 2000-01: Completed his sixth NHL season with Detroit... Appeared in a then-career-high 73 games... Scored second career game-winning goal vs. NSH (1/24)... Had two-point game (1g, 1a) at ATL (11/29)... Four goals was one shy of career high set in 1997-98... Finished with nine points, which is one fewer than career high set in 1997-98... Recorded career-high 57 penalty minutes.
1990 - 1993
Spent three years at the University of Michigan (CCHA). Accumulated 20 goals, 31 assists and 263 PIM in 118 games. 1993-94: Rights traded from Winnipeg to Detroit for Paul Ysebaert and future consideration on 6/11/93. Made his NHL debut 10/5 at DAL. His first NHL goal came in second game (10/8) at ANA. That was the Mighty Ducks' inaugural game and Ward's goal was the first scored against Anaheim in franchise history. Spent 58 games with Adirondack (AHL), accumulating 16 points (4g, 12a) and 87 PIM.
1994 - 1995
Spent majority of the season with Adirondack, scoring 11 goals, 24 assists and 87 PIM in 76 games. Appeared in one game for Detroit (3/17) vs. VAN, recording an assist. 1995-96: Spent season in Adirondack. In 74 games had 5 goals, 10 assists and 133 PIM. 1996-97: First full season with Detroit. Scored his first goal of the season 11/4 vs. HFD. First assist came on shorthanded goal 11/18 at PHO. Had three-game assist streak 11/18-23
1997 - 1998
Played 52 games for Detroit. Two of his five assists came on game-winners. Scored game-winner in 5-4 win at TB 2/5. Had a two-game goal streak (1/31-2/1)
1998 - 1999
Played 60 games for Detroit. Posted career highs in games played (60), assists (11) and points (11). Two assists were on game-winning goals. Scored unassisted goal (11/18) at EDM. In Stanley Cup playoffs, appeared in the first eight games (out of 10) and had one assist
1999 - 2000
Appeared in just 36 games due to injuries. Played in 200th game 1/6 vs. NSH.
2000 - 2001
Completed his sixth NHL season with Detroit. Appeared in a then-career-high 73 games. Scored second career game-winning goal vs. NSH (1/24). Had two-point game (1g, 1a) at ATL (11/29). Four goals was one shy of career high set in 1997-98. Finished with nine points, which is one fewer than career high set in 1997-98. Recorded career-high 57 penalty minutes. Was a healthy extra in Detroit's six-game Western Conference Quarterfinal loss vs. LA.
2001 - 2002
Set a new career high for points in a season with 14 (3g, 11a). Earned an assist and recorded four hits and five blocked shots vs. TB (4/10). Assisted on Sami Kapanen's goal at NYI (4/8), establishing a new career high for points in a season with 12. Missed game vs. CGY (3/11) with an arm injury. Was (+4) at BOS (2/28). Scored his third goal of the season at NJ (1/19). Scored his second goal of the season vs. MIN (1/15). Scored his first goal of the season, the game-winner, and assisted on Sami Kapanen's first-period goal at TB (12/27). He blocked five shots in the contest. Played in his 300th career NHL game vs. CBJ (11/19). Made his Hurricanes debut (10/5) vs. NYR, recording four hits, three blocked shots and a (+2) rating. Missed two games due to injury/illness (12/12: flu; 3/11: arm). Was a healthy scratch for one game (3/21). Played in his fourth playoff season and first with Carolina.. Assisted on Jeff O'Neill's game-tying goal in the second period in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Finals at DET (6/4). Scored his first career NHL playoff goal in Game 4 of Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at NJ (4/23).
2002 - 2003
Completed his ninth NHL season and second with the Hurricanes . Scored a goal vs. TOR (3/25) . Set up the game-tying goal at ATL (1/7) . Notched his second goal of the season vs. ATL (12/27) . Scored his first goal of the season, the overtime game-winner, and earned first-star honors, at ATL (12/20) . Played in his 100th game with the Hurricanes vs. VAN (11/23) . Earned an assist on Josef Vasicek's game-winning goal vs. ATL (10/11) . Missed five games due to injury (back: 10/29-10/30; hip: 3/15-3/22).
2003 - 2004
Completed his 10th NHL season and third with Carolina... Was tied for third among Hurricanes defensemen in plus/minus (+1)... Earned an assist on Brind'Amour's goal vs. NYI (4/2)... Played in his 200th game with the Hurricanes vs. FLA (3/25)... Assisted on Vrbata's goal vs. TB (3/10)... Returned to action after missing nearly seven weeks with a wrist injury and scored a pair of goals at CBJ (3/8). It was the first multi-goal game of his NHL career... Was placed on injured reserve Feb. 2, retroactive to Jan. 20... Had surgery to repair ligament disruption in his left wrist on Jan. 21... Scored his first goal of the season - a power-play tally - vs. ATL (1/18)... Assisted on O'Neill's game-winning goal at ATL (1/16)... Assisted on Kevyn Adams' goal and was (+3) in 18:28 of ice time vs. NYR (1/8)... Returned to action vs. NYR (11/6) and earned an assist on Bayda's goal... Placed on injured reserve 10/28, retroactive to 10/18... Missed 29 games due to injury (infection: 10/22-11/2; upper body injury: 11/26-11/28; wrist: 1/21-3/6)... Was a healthy extra for four games (11/13-11/15, 12/9-12/11).
2004 - 2005
Joined ERC Ingolstadt of the German league late in the season and tallied three assists and 16 penalty minutes in eight games. Playoffs: Scored one goal, added one assist (2 points) and had 16 penalty minutes in 11 playoff games for ERC Ingolstadt.
2005 - 2006
Played in his 11th NHL season and fourth with the Carolina Hurricanes. ... Scored his fifth and sixth goals of the season, including the game-winner, to eclipse his career-best for goals in a season and was named first star of the game vs. Boston on March 1. ... Returned to action at New Jersey on Feb. 3 after missing 10 games with a hernia injury. He had surgery to repair the hernia on Jan. 11. ... Had a career best four game point streak (11/27-12/3: 1g, 3a), eclipsing his previous career points streak record of three games ... PLAYOFFS: Blocked six shots in Game 2 of Carolina's first-round playoff series vs. Montreal. ... Scored his first goal of the playoffs in Game 4 at Montreal. ... Assisted on Justin Williams's shorthanded goal in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Finals vs. Edmonton. ... Scored at 1:26 of first period to give Carolina 1-0 lead over Edmonton in Game 7 of Stanley Cup Finals.
