2009-10 Canes Country Exit Analysis: Cam Ward
by Cory Lavalette on May 31, 2010 2:35 PM EDT
in 2009-10 Exit Analysis
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PrintThis season was one of high expectations for Cam Ward. The Hurricanes officially deemed him their franchise goalie by signing him to a six-year, $37.8 million contract that will kick in for the 2010-11 season. He was also coming off his second ever playoff appearance and was instrumental in again leading the team deep into the postseason before the eventual champion Penguins dispatched Carolina in four straight games.
Ward has a proven playoff track record and was coming off a career-best regular season in 2008-09, but the team's early season struggles and Ward's injury woes derailed not only any chance of a return to the postseason but also Ward's expected ascension into the goaltending elite.
Ward was one of just four former Carolina first-round picks to crack the roster this season (Eric Staal, Brandon Sutter and Zach Boychuk were the others) and is already ninth in franchise history in games played with Carolina — just 37 games shy of Arturs Irbe's 309 games played for tops in Hurricanes history for games by a goalie — despite being just 26 years old.
The Good: When healthy, Ward is among the league's best goalies. That was illustrated in his final six games when he went 4-2, allowing just 13 goals while stopping 176 of 189 shots (.931 save percentage). He holds the Carolina/Hartford career wins mark with 138 (passing Irbe's previous mark of 130 this past season) and is track to hold every major goaltending record in franchise history if he stays healthy. While he didn't get to show it this year, Ward is one of the game's top clutch players — and don't listen to the people who will tell you he was exposed against Pittsburgh in the conference finals last season. His .916 save percentage on the season was on par with 2008-09, but his goals-against average crept up by a quarter of a goal (2.44 in 2008-09 to 2.69 this season), the result of a goalie facing more — and any observer will tell you, higher quality — shots.
The Bad: The numbers say a lot. Ward was 18-23-5 in 2009-10 and was the loser in 10 of the losses in Carolina’s horrific 14-game losing streak. He was spared the other four because he was injured in the 11th game of the skid against Columbus. Speaking of injuries, they certainly play a part in Ward's struggles in 2009-10. On top of the aforementioned skate slash injury suffered Nov. 7 against the Blue Jackets, Ward entered the season with a sore back — a frightening injury seeing that it had flared up months earlier during the Eastern Conference Finals. Perhaps the biggest criticism you can levy on Ward is he was unable to steal a game during the losing streak that ultimately cost the Hurricanes their season. He registered no shutouts for the first time since his rookie season in 2005-06 (although he had two that postseason en route to the Conn Smythe Trophy and Stanley Cup), and given the way the defense struggled early in the year, the team could have used one miraculous performance to shake them from the funk they were in.
The Money: Ward earned $3.5 million in the final year of a three-year contract that paid him an average of $2.5 million a season. His new contract will pay him $5 million in 2010-11 and escalate to $6.8 million in its final year in 2015-16, with the cap hit being $6.3 million each season.
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C
Would have given him an incomplete if missed a few more games. He just wasn’t an impact, and your franchise goalie needs to be an impact player.
Anyone else think the chick in the consumer reports ad is cute?
mF
He better have shaken the back problem and “steal” a few games this year… or he will be another addition to the flop stories in Carolina. Another sub-par year and he is trade bait at the deadline….The price will be to high to keep him. And saying he is 9th in the franchise in games played means nothing, because it is well known the Mo rides him way to hard. A few 7 game series’ in 06’ and again in 09’ help with the totals also… I gave him a C.. if he continues to struggle are we gonna blame JR for the franchise tag???
He wasn’t completely bad, but wasn’t the force he was in 08/09. Injuries surely played their part, but that could be an excuse for anyone. He needs to return to form this upcoming season, but I hope the coaches don’t ride him into the ground. While I prefer Peters; either him or Legace needs to start at least 25 games. It keeps them from sitting an extended period and hopefully will allow Cam to rest his back.
This franchise will either succeed or fail by the hands of Eric Staal and Cam Ward. Other players are definitely coming into the mix, but those two individuals will have the most to say in the outcome. Both get paid to carry the team (Staal 4th among forwards in cap hit amount, Cam 2nd amoung goalies in cap hit amount), so both should step up and perform to their abilities.
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Well if he hadn’t let in so many back to back goals this season we would’ve been in the playoffs. As our #1 goalie he needs to step it up and be more consistent, and thats something he has struggled with throughout his career.
Carolina Hurricanes! Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champions!
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If we’re gonna blame one person for that, it should be A-Ward, not C-Ward. ;)
by Raccoon Fink on May 31, 2010 8:25 PM EDT up reply actions
I gave him an incomplete. Too many missed games due to injury to really give him anything else.
"That’s what happens when you suck" - Tim Gleason
I voted "B"
as in when he was hot…he was HOT…and when he wasn’t…colder than a dead fish…but was better than a C……but that’s the way i saw and see it…
When The People Fear Their Government,There is Tyranny;
When The Government fears The People, There Is Liberty
but when is Cam not hot (wink)
"The increase in pain is way beyond what you would expect a person to play with," said coach Paul Maurice. "Unfortunately it’s even beyond what Tim Gleason can play with, because he can play with just about anything."
"C"
Wardo is at best average in goal. Sure he has had some bright spots, but is at most average. The but the question is who is to blame, Moe works him like a rented mule most of the season with little or no rest. How many games has this cost us over the past couple of years. We had a very good back up, who did not see the puck but every once in a blue moon, you cant blame him for being rusty. (Where is he now and where is Wardo)…..
I think Wardo is a very important part of our team, but could also be a huge issue in the coming years if he does not step it up.
Again the question is who’s to balme
Obviously the injuries affected his season, if you cut his season into 3 pieces: before leg laceration, between leg and back injury, and after back injury; I’d say he played his best hockey of the season in the second piece, he looked like he did in playoffs the year before and I hope that’s what we can expect next season.
Interesting comments. His save percentage in 08-09 and 09-10 was identical. It was the same as Brodeur’s, and his save percentage and goals against were nearly identical to Anderson’s, the guy everyone was raving about mid-season.
That his goals-against went up had nothing to do with Cam Ward. It had everything to do with Aaron Ward and Alberts and the fact that Pitkanen missed so much time early on.
Assuming that his back problems are behind him, most GMs would kill to have Cam Ward. Some of them actually remember the first two rounds of last year’s playoffs.
And as for Ward looking better after coming back from the leg injury, sure he did. By then, Aaron Ward actually remembered that he was supposed to follow forwards to the front of the net.
Cam Ward and Aaron Ward
It is so obvious watching the videos of the first 20 to 30 games that for some reason Aaron Ward, Wallin, and Harrison were underwhelming. I do think the lack of speed by Brind’Amour and Yelle hurt the team badly as well. Cam Ward is as good a goalie as any team could hope to acquire even with his occasional lapses.
Cam Ward did start off playing some of his least inspired hockey since his rookie year during the regular season; but I feel confident he was injured much of the year. I think and hope he will rebound this season.
I gave him an “A” because he deserves it. Every time that boy is in the net he gives 200%. As with ALL hockey players they have good games and bad games yet no other player has the weight on their shoulders like a goalie has. His every move is under a microscope. We’ll never know how many games he played while being in a lot of pain either from his leg or his back. Two things that he had no control over. Add to that a coach that had him in every single game. We all know hockey players are some of the toughest men out there but they are still human and it takes a body a long time to heal from many different types of injuries. The body doesn’t care how many millions he’s getting paid. He had a rough year dealing with things beyond his control, it is what it is. I have no doubt that Cam will come back next season kickin’ ass and taking names the way he always has and I have no doubt that he will,in the future, be known as one of the best gaolies of all time.
I gave him a c-goalies can only be graded on wins and losses. I fully expect a rebound this year.
I think the real question here is how much money got wasted with the large contract we gave him at the beginning of the year. 1 million? 1.5 million a year? I am all for resigning him, and paying what it takes. But I don’t think we got nearly the deal we could have. Is this another case of the canes front office leading with their heart, not their head?
I agree! Cam’s cap hit should have been around $5M to $5.25M per season. The same could be said of Staal’s contract. He should have been around $7M per season. You can’t fault the players getting everything they can, but it effects the whole team.
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by PackPride17 on Jun 2, 2010 11:41 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I agree with Canes Lady but I say Cam gets a B for the season. A goalie is and always will be at least 50% of the team. In some cases, they will be as much as 70 -80% of the team when the “D” is not on their game. A few times Cam was upwards of 80%, but let’s not forget about the record breaking 3 short handed goals he let through during the last game with Boston.
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