A commanding and electric presence in and out of the cage, the Brampton (Ont.) native was another offseason addition for the Big Green, joining a goalie unit that already includes fellow Canadian Cooper Lawson. I first saw Ward last year with Team Ontario’s U-17 squad and was immediately struck by his dynamic style and his ability to make highly difficult saves look effortless. The 6’2 lefty excels at stepping out to cut down angles and bait shooters when appropriate. Outside of the crease, Ward is a fantastic asset with the ball, using his athleticism to clear it upfield and easily outrun even the most relentless riding attackmen. This past fall, he continued to impress, delivering several strong halves at the Alliance Lacrosse League event in November. Ward is certainly one to watch and looks primed to develop into one of the most coveted ’28 keepers.

At 6’2″, Ward has a big presence in net and does a great job of communicating to his teammates and making sure everyone is on the same page. He moves well between the pipes and does a good job of cutting off shooting angles with his body and awareness. He is athletic and cuts well side-to-side, while also displaying the ability to attack the ball on a low shot. In his game vs Shore2Shore, the Brampton, ON native made 7 saves in one half of play and set the tone early with what looked to be a few routine saves to get him warmed up. Not only does he make great saves, but he is also a threat with the ball, working hard in the clearing game, showing off his stick skills on smooth outlet passes and doesn’t hesitate to come out of cage to make a play.

After evaluating Ward with Team Ontario’s U-17 squad, I’d love to know more about him since details are relatively scarce. He’s a ’27 but is eligible to reclass as a ’28 (due to how Canada’s schooling system differs from the U.S.), though I couldn’t find his high school listed anywhere. However, he’s from Brampton and plays box (but isn’t a goalie) for the Brampton Excelsiors, and he’s also an accomplished hockey player.

Showcasing an electric style of netminder, the 6-foot-2 lefty fills up the net and has excellent reflexes. He tends to flop too frequently but controls rebounds more often than not and make some ridiculous saves, so it’s something you live with. Ward settled down a bit after looking jumpy to start and was very impressive both in and out of the cage, utilizing his athleticism to help lead the clear. He’ll be one to watch going forward.