Hi this is Fred Wallace with ” Off the Wire “, brought to you by Auto Logic…..the Logical Choice !
Watching Joel Ward score a dramatic game winning goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year, illustrated how narrow the margin is between those who make it and the many who don’t.
Everyone knows Joel Ward was & is among the longest shots to ever payoff and play pro hockey.
You might remember how he was drafted by the Owen Sound Platers in 1997…..260TH OVERALL !!!
You might also remember how after scoring 76 times over 4 years in Owen Sound, he took the unconventional 4 year route through UPEI before making his NHL debut with Minnesota at age 26.
But what I remember most is Sunday October 25th, 1998.
In Joel Ward’s sophomore season with the Platers, he was struggling…..struggling to the point that he was a healthy scratch at Windsor for a game that night against the Spitfires.
Of course, October 25th, 1998, is also known as ” Jeff Kugel Night ” and as a result of Kugel’s rampage and other events, the Attack were missing several forwards for their next game, just 2 nights later, at Sudbury.
Rattled from the aftermath of the Kugel game, the Attack, with Joel Ward back in the lineup, were thumped 7-3 at Sudbury.
However, lengthy suspensions and injuries from the Kugel fiasco gave Joel Ward an opportunity, maybe a final opportunity, to find his game that Fall.
And while it probably wasn’t a 180 degree swing at that very moment, it’s possible Joel Ward’s lengthy success in hockey owes a backhanded thank you to Jeff Kugel.
I’m Fred Wallace