During Ward's final season in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks, he added another highlight, one he had hoped to avoid.
"I had always thought that I didn't want to play in an outdoor game," Ward said. "I was a goalie, so I was going to be cold."
Ward had a change of heart after he started the 2019 Winter Classic at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. He made 32 saves in Chicago's 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins before 76,126 fans.
"I have to say it was one of the coolest experiences of my career," Ward said. "It ranks right up there."
RELATED: [2023 NHL Stadium Series coverage]
Ward started his 14-season NHL career with the Hurricanes, who will play the Washington Capitals in the 2023 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Feb. 18 (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN360, TVAS2). The game is the 37th outdoor game in NHL history and first in the state.
"I'm real excited for the players that haven't had the opportunity to play in an outdoor game, and I'm really excited for the city of Raleigh and the Caniac fan base," Ward said. "They're going to put on a great show. It's going to be a very memorable experience for everyone. Even looking at this backdrop, Carter-Finley is a great setup for an outdoor game. "
Ward played 701 regular-season games, 29th in NHL history. Injuries took a toll toward the end of his career, with chronic knee and back problems making it difficult to practice or fully warm up.
"When I was done, I knew I was done," he said. "My dad's motto when I was playing was, 'The more fun you have, the better you do.' It became evident that I wasn't having that much fun toward the end. I started to hurt a little too much to play. The body started to wear down. I knew that it was time for me."
The transition into retirement at age 35 wasn't easy.
"If I'm being brutally honest, it took some time," he said. "It is hard to just, the next day, to be done. Once you're out, you're out. That's a hard pill to swallow."
