Facing off with Jason Ward

[Spider-Man NL]

(12/17/2003)

MONTREAL -- There can be little argument that Jason Ward emerged as one of the Canadiens’ most pleasant surprises a season ago. Starting the year under Claude Julien with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, Ward blossomed as an offensive force and was leading the league in scoring when he was at last recalled by Montreal on March 11; despite playing in just 69 games with Hamilton during the regular season, he still finished 13th in scoring overall, with 31 goals and 72 points. With the big club, he continued to show flashes of offensive flair, playing a physical game en route to collecting five points in eight contests, a career high that blew past the three total points he had earned in his previous 44 NHL games.

The Canadiens’ first-round pick (11th overall) of the 1997 Draft, Ward returned to the Bulldogs for their run in the Calder Cup playoffs, leading them to the seventh game of the Final where they ultimately fell to the Houston Aeros, 3-0. Ward’s postseason, from a personal standpoint, was a marvel. His 12 goals and 21 points in 23 games led all scorers, suggesting the Canadiens might have a bona fide new threat on one of their lines come 2003-2004. That promise went out the window, however, just three weeks into the new season, when Ward broke his ankle in a Nov. 1 game against the Rangers.

After six weeks of rehabilitation, Ward is now ready to prove himself anew. Prior to his assignment to Hamilton for conditioning purposes, he sat down with canadiens.com to address everything from injuries to cartoons.

canadiens.com: How annoying was it to miss all those games just as you were appearing to hit your stride?

Jason Ward: It was frustrating. As a professional hockey player, you want to play every night, and that was one of the things I was really happy with last year – I played every game. It’s exciting to play every game; that’s where you find your rhythm. When you get injured, it takes a week or so after you come back to feel good again. It’s just one of those frustrating things, but where I play, you’ve got to be strong.

canadiens.com: Were you disappointed to miss the Heritage Classic in Edmonton, or were you just as happy not to freeze out there?

JW: It was disappointing. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and there was only going to be that one first time where it happened for the first time. [Team management] told me they wanted to bring me out there, but being out there wouldn’t have been the same as playing out there, so I preferred to stay at home and watch on TV rather than freeze and watch there. [laughs] But I would have loved to have played in that game.

canadiens.com: You’re one of countless guys who’s had trouble with injuries at various points in your career, and has had your progress almost certainly hampered because of that. Has there been a point when you’ve just thrown up your hands and said, “Why me?”

JW: The past few years I’ve actually been pretty lucky with injuries; throughout my AHL career I didn’t have too many problems. In professional hockey, the only real injury I’ve had was my knee. I was really snake bitten in the OHL when I played there in Junior. I missed a lot of games. Ever since I’ve played pro it’s been pretty good with a few exceptions, and it’s getting better every year. It’s just a matter of not getting any injuries at all, and playing in all 82 games.

canadiens.com: It’s probably safe to say that your development was subject to greater scrutiny than that of others given the position you were drafted. How much of a double-edged sword is it for a player to be taken in the first round?

JW: It’s one of those things that doesn’t matter [on a personal level] any more; it’s long gone. It’s something that stays with you forever, but now it’s just a matter of going to camp every year. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a first-rounder or a seventh-rounder. A Michael Ryder [an eighth-round selection in 1998] proves that. You go to camp and whoever’s better, whoever’s working hard, whoever’s doing their job is the one who’s going to get opportunities.

canadiens.com: When you were tearing it up in Hamilton last year, were you kind of getting antsy, wondering what it would take to get the promotion to the big club?

JW: It was frustrating, but it’s part of the business. There weren’t injuries or anything that opened a spot for me, so it was just something I had to deal with. It was a time in my career where I wasn’t sure [the Canadiens] wanted me... I wasn’t sure what their plans were for me, so I just said to myself that I was going to have a good year no matter what, and that I was going to keep working hard whether I was in Hamilton or in Montreal.

canadiens.com: Do you see any of yourself in Ryder? Like you, he seemed to come on last year with the Bulldogs, and now that he’s in the NHL, he’s making an impact.

JW: It’s very similar, because he had a lot of confidence when he came up here, just like I had a lot of confidence when I got here last season. We both came into camp this year ready to work hard. It’s tough, now, coming back from an injury, because I had been starting to feel comfortable before, and now I have to get back and find that comfort zone and confidence again.

canadiens.com: How did you guys decide to grow those playoff beards during your run toward last year’s Calder Cup final?

JW: It’s one of those things that’s been going on in professional hockey ever since the Minnesota North Stars did it however long ago. I know a lot of guys keep it clean, now, and don’t do it, but [current Edmonton netminder] Ty Conklin and I were the two who actually just let our beards grow the whole postseason. We didn’t do anything to them.

canadiens.com: You looked like Grizzly Adams by Game 7 of the Final.

JW: It was unbelievable. [laughs] It was getting real itchy at the end, but it’s just one of those traditions that I thought would be fun to follow.

canadiens.com: What did your wife think?

JW: She didn’t mind it... I’ve always had a goatee or some type of facial hair, so she’s used to it to a certain degree. That was probably too much, though.

canadiens.com: Who on the Bulldogs roster is someone the casual Canadiens fan might not know about right now, but who you feel has the talent to make some serious noise at the NHL level down the road?

JW: I think there’s a couple of guys. I think [center Benoit] Gratton deserves an opportunity. He’s done what he can in the AHL, and he needs to prove something in the NHL. I think he’s someone who deserves a shot. [Defenseman] Francois Beauchemin is one of those steady defensemen... He’s not going to score a lot of goals, he’s not an offensive defenseman, but he has the ability to have some offensive bursts. He’s a guy who works hard and who puts his heart into the game every night, and I think he’s someone who you can really see becoming a steady defenseman at the NHL level. There’s a couple of Wild Cards, too. You’ve got [left wing] Tomas Plekanec and [right wing] Jozef Balej who are two very offensive players, it’s just a question of whether they can do it in this league.

canadiens.com: From what you’ve observed, has Claude Julien changed his style or approach to coaching in moving from Hamilton to Montreal?

JW: The relationship between a player and coach in the minors and the relationship between a player and coach in the NHL is a little bit different. Claude’s always left his door open to his players and stuff like that, but it’s a bit tougher up here. There are more jobs to deal with, and more distractions from everywhere. He’s always been one of those coaches to say “hi” to you on the way by... There are some coaches who don’t talk to their players. Everyone’s different. But he’s the same person. He tries to get the most out of every player, and that’s what he’s always done. He tries to make everyone a better player, and he’s committed to that here. It’s a process.

canadiens.com: What’s in your CD player right now?

JW: What’s in my CD player right now... “Now 8”? You know, just a mix of the latest songs. Usually on the way to the game I put Shaggy in, just to get a bit of a beat going. I listen to all types of stuff.

canadiens.com: We’ve actually heard comments that you look like Shaggy. Not the singer, but the character in Scooby-Doo.

JW: [laughs] I had that nickname in high school. My second or third year. I had the fuzzy hair, and I’ve always had the facial hair, so I let it grow a little bit and it got that shaggy look.

canadiens.com: All you need is a Great Dane for a pet and you’d be set.

JW: I’ve got a dog, but he’s a golden lab named Sammy. I’ve got a wild house. I’ve got two cats, a dog, now the baby and of course the wife. It’s a pretty entertaining place.

canadiens.com: Which one’s the most work?

JW: The most work would have to be the baby, that’s for sure. As much as there’s pleasure, there’s a lot of hard work involved, and you know, it’s such a joy doing it, but you have to watch him 24/7.

canadiens.com: Who on the team has the best taste and worst taste in music?

JW: I’m not a techno guy, but [Marcel] Hossa is into the techno. Every time I go into the gym, he’s got that going on. A lot of guys are just into rock ‘n’ roll, simple stuff like that. Joe Juneau likes the classical type of stuff, and everyone has their preferences, but most just go for regular rock.

canadiens.com: If you had to pick one theme song that would play when you scored a goal, would it be “Seventeen” by Winger, “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks, or “(She's) Sexy + 17” by the Stray Cats?

JW: What was the first one, again?

canadiens.com: “Seventeen”. A sweet heavy metal anthem from the late ‘80s.

JW: I think I’d go with that one. I’m not that familiar with the other songs, but that’s the one I’ve heard the most.

canadiens.com: Is there any significance to your number?

JW: Not really. Sixteen’s my number, but unfortunately I can’t have that here since it was retired for Henri Richard. I had worn it for luck, but it wasn’t really lucky... It was just one of those superstitions. Still, last year I had the year of my life, and I wore 16 [in Hamilton], and it was nice having it back. It had been a while since I had worn 16, and when I accomplished so much last season, it just made me feel like there was something special to that number. I had had 61 when I was here at first – I tried switching the numbers – but I didn’t like it. The number was just too high, so ended up going with 17.

canadiens.com: If you could play alongside any two forwards in NHL history, who would they be?

JW: Jeez. I’d have to go with Wayne Gretzky, obviously, since he was the greatest player ever. It would be amazing to play next to him. If he could get [Dave] Semenko to score some goals, I think I could score with him. [laughs] The thing about Gretzky is that he made everyone around him better, and that’s what made him so special. As for the other forward, I’d want Brendan Shanahan. He’s one of those guys who I’ve always enjoyed watching, and he might not be the most skilled guy, but he works hard and always surprises you. He’d help make a great line.

canadiens.com: What’s the best part of being in the NHL?

JW: The best part is just accomplishing your goals. When you’re a kid, you dream about being in the NHL, and I think that’s the most satisfying thing. How many kids can say they achieved their dream? It’s just an unbelievable feeling when you step on the ice at the NHL level for the first time. It’s amazing that you can live your dream, and that’s what gets me the most.

J.S. Trzcienski is the Site Manager for canadiens.com.

[jl.roberts]

That was a good interview. Unfortunately for Wardo, he has piss poor taste when it comes to music.