The Henderson Silver Knights hired Joel Ward as their next head coach. It was only a matter of time before he became a head coach, and this move was a hit on many levels.
The June 29 Monday afternoon press conference felt like years in the making. Joel Ward was introduced as the Henderson Silver Knights' third head coach, a move anyone could see coming considering Ward’s background.
Ward has been in the Vegas Golden Knights organization for years, moving around from the American Hockey League to the NHL affiliate since he joined the team in 2019. He was seen as a rising star in the coaching ranks the moment he retired from playing in 2018.
Some might argue, and understandably so, that Ward already looked like a coach in the making in his playing days as he finished up his career as a leader and mentor with the San Jose Sharks and played a pivotal role on a team that made multiple deep playoff runs. In short, it makes the Golden Knights' decision to promote him to the head coaching spot of their AHL team not only the right move but the inevitable one.
Ward Was Made To Coach
From the moment Ward laced up the skates and played competitive hockey, he had to fight for his spot in the lineup. Most players give up when they can’t make it after a few seasons. Ward made his debut at 26 years old and then spent 13 seasons as a depth forward for three teams.
That role gave him the coaching bug. The battle to stay in the NHL fueled him further to build a career well after he retired. By the time he ended his career with the Sharks, he was the mentor on the team, telling younger players like Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture that it’s not easy to play in the NHL and they won’t make it on skill alone. In hindsight, one of the biggest mistakes the Sharks made was letting Ward go to a division rival instead of keeping him around to coach in some capacity.
That message is what many AHL coaches have to relay to their prospects. To make it in the best league in the world, these players must play a complete game. Ward did, and he didn’t have the skill that Alexander Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby had.
That message was repeated after he retired and joined the Silver Knights bench, where he kept building up his coaching accolades. His time with the AHL team and behind the NHL bench further prepared him to take over the reins as a head coach someday.
Ward’s Last Box To Check Off
Ward was an assistant for years in the Golden Knights system, learning all about the ins and outs of the role. However, he was never a head coach. Most coaches see a move to the AHL, or any sort, as a demotion and conversely, a move to the NHL as a promotion. It’s why many of the top AHL coaches this summer have moved behind the benches of NHL teams, including Pascal Vincent, Ryan Mougenel, and Trent Vogelhuber.
This was an opportunity Ward couldn’t pass up, which is something he noted in his presser. It’s his last box to check and remove any doubt that he can become an NHL head coach. As an assistant, he’s proven he can coach. Now, he’ll prove he can lead.
More importantly, the AHL is the toughest league to coach, with the roster turnover and the age gap between prospects still learning the game and veterans fighting to stay in the NHL. For Ward, if he can succeed in Henderson, he can succeed anywhere.
Ward As A Player-Friendly Coach
Going back to his playing days, Ward was one of the most likeable players in the league. The coaches, players, fans, and everyone in between liked Ward. Like many future coaches, he understood them better than anyone else.
He understood what it was like to play multiple roles in the NHL because he played them over his 13-year career. Ward knows what it’s like to fight racism in hockey because he lived through it, something he mentioned at his introductory presser. As the assistant for years, he was the player-friendly coach whom anyone could talk to.
This will require Ward to adjust. He now has to hold players accountable and become the “bad cop” behind the bench. When needed, he must be the discipline coach to get the most out of the players.
The good news for Ward is that he learned firsthand how to coach that way as well. He spent the past few seasons behind the Bruce Cassidy-led bench and the recent months with John Tortorella. Both coaches have a history of intense games and practices. It’s allowed Ward to find the right combination as he becomes the next leader of the Silver Knights, someone who is coaching in the AHL but on the way to becoming an NHL head coach soon enough.
