Having your jersey number retired is a prestigious honor. As the player stands on the ice in awe and sees his number raised to the rafters, it sinks in how much he means to the organization. The bar for the Carolina Hurricanes is raised high, as the retired three numbers are among the elite in franchise history. Furthermore, there is a strong case for another player who was the best in franchise history at his position. He is the first to be in the ring of honor, which helps cement his case further.
Ring of Honor
Goaltender Cam Ward was the first member to be inducted into the ring of honor, as this is a newly implemented thing for the Hurricanes. Many great players step into the franchise but may never receive the call into the Hall of Fame. However, being inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame is a special honor.
Related: 3 Hurricanes Who Should Be in the Ring of Honor
It was a special thing to do during the 25th anniversary for the Hurricanes, and Ward was the right player to be sent in. While the ring of honor is great for him to be recognized, retiring his No. 30 officially should happen.
Retire No. 30 Officially
When you think of the 2005-06 Hurricanes season, a few things come to mind. There was Eric Staal’s 100-point season, Justin Williams’ empty-net goal, Rod Brind’Amour’s expression lifting the Cup, and rookie sensation Ward. He played just 28 games during the regular season but displayed a Conn Smythe-winning playoff performance.
Ward came in for starting goaltender Martin Gerber, and the rest is history. The three players currently with retired numbers were instrumental to the teams’ success, so he fits the bill in that regard. Once he stepped into the playoff spotlight, he finished with a 15-8 record, a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.14 and a save percentage of .920. His brilliant play helped backstop the Hurricanes to winning the Stanley Cup, which is their only one since relocating from Hartford. Furthermore, he is the best goalie in franchise history to play between the pipes.
Arturs Irbe was a magnificent goalie for the Hurricanes, but Ward has rewritten the history books. Here is where he ranks in the goaltending categories in franchise history:
- Wins: First (318)
- Games Played: First (668)
- Save percentage: Fourth (.909)
- Shutouts: First (27)
Longevity was a strong suit for Ward, as he played the most minutes of any goalie. In addition, he faced the most shots, let in the most goals, and made the most saves. During his prime years, he was a tough goaltender to beat. He faced his strongest workload during the 2010-11 season and finished with a career-high 25.9 goals saved above expected. This shattered his career-best of 20.9 the season before. This statistic began to drop as he got older, but he was great early in his career.
For 13 seasons, he brought stability to the position and has a championship on his resumé. Even during the down years for the Hurricanes, he was stable in the net and played at a high level. Only twice in his career did he finish with a GAA above 3.00 but posted a save percentage below .900 four times. It was an honor to see him be in the Ring of Honor, but he deserves to have his number retired in front of the Raleigh faithful at PNC Arena.
Joining the Others
When you think of Hurricanes franchise greats, this is one player that comes to mind. There is a special place in Hurricanes history for Ward, and his number deserves to never be worn again. In 25 years of hockey for the franchise, he is the best goaltender to play for the team.
Not many others have had the longevity or the accolades to accompany it. Other players may have their case, but number 30 has cemented his. Joining Ron Francis, Glen Wesley, and Brind’Amour would be a tremendous achievement and great company to be in. His legacy and impacts are as great as there are and gave fans memories that will last a lifetime.
