Troy G. Ward

Troy G. Ward
Ward with the Abbotsford Heat in 2013
Born (1962-06-04) 4 June 1962 (age 64)
North St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Position Forward
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career

1980–1984

Coaching career
Current position
TitleAssistant Coach
TeamShanghai Dragons
ConferenceKHL
Biographical details
EducationUniversity of Wisconsin–Eau Claire
Playing career
1980–1984Wisconsin–Eau Claire
PositionForward
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1985–1987Wisconsin–Eau Claire (asst.)
1987–1990Wisconsin–Eau Claire
1990–1993Denver (asst.)
1993–1995Dubuque Fighting Saints (HC/GM)
1995–1997Indianapolis Ice (asst.)
1997–2000Pittsburgh Penguins (asst.)
2000–2001Trenton Titans
2002–2005Wisconsin (asst.)
2005–2006Victoria Salmon Kings
2007–2010Houston Aeros (asst.)
2010–2011Abbotsford Heat (asst.)
2011–2014Abbotsford Heat
2014–2015Vancouver Giants
2015–2016Madison Capitols (HC/GM)
2017–2019Steinbach Black Wings
2023–2026Minnesota State (asst.)
2026–PresentShanghai Dragons (asst.)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2001–2002ECHL (VP/Dir. of Hockey Ops)
2019–2022Vancouver Canucks (Scout)
2022–2023Sioux City Musketeers (GM)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
John Brophy Award – ECHL Coach of the Year (2000–01)

Troy G. Ward (born June 4, 1962) is an American ice hockey coach who is an assistant coach for the Shanghai Dragons of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), based in St. Petersburg, Russia. Ward spent three seasons (2023–2026) as associate head coach at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and three years (1997–2000) as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. Over a career spanning four decades, Ward has coached or worked in nine different leagues across four countries — NHL, KHL, IHL, AHL, ECHL, EBEL, WHL, USHL, and NCAA — a breadth of levels uncommon among hockey coaches, most of whom spend their careers within a single league or a closely related tier of the sport.

Playing Career

A 1984 graduate of University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, Ward was team captain for the BluGolds as a forward for four years. In 1984, UW Eau Claire captured the NAIA Championship. Ward earned a master's degree in athletic administration and a bachelor's degree in physical education.

Coaching Career

TeamLeagueSeason(s)PositionGC
Wisconsin–Eau ClaireNCAA (WIAC)1985–1987Assistant coach54
Wisconsin–Eau ClaireNCAA (WIAC)1987–1990Head coach99
DenverNCAA (WCHA)1990–1993Assistant coach114
Dubuque Fighting SaintsUSHL1993–1995Head coach / general manager111
Indianapolis IceIHL1995–1997Assistant coach173
Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL1997–2000Assistant coach276
Trenton TitansECHL2000–2001Head coach91
WisconsinNCAA (WCHA)2002–2005Assistant coach133
Victoria Salmon KingsECHL2005–2006Head coach34
Houston AerosAHL2007–2010Assistant coach265
Abbotsford HeatAHL2010–2011Assistant coach80
Abbotsford HeatAHL2011–2014Head coach240
Vancouver GiantsWHL2014–2015Head coach25
Madison CapitolsUSHL2015–2016Head coach / general manager60
Steinbach Black Wings LinzEBEL2017–2019Head coach108
Minnesota StateNCAA (CCHA)2023–2026Associate head coach130
Shanghai DragonsKHL2026–presentAssistant coach12 (ongoing)
Career total (regular season + playoffs)1,993 completed, plus 12 and rising
  1. ↑ Includes a confirmed 1989 NCAA Division III tournament loss (1 game) and the 1989–90 NCHA conference tournament (2 games, confirmed). His team is also confirmed to have played in the 1988–89 NCHA conference tournament as the #2 seed, but the exact game count for that one appearance wasn't found in any available source, so the true total may be very slightly higher than 99.
  2. ↑ Current as of October 12, 2026 (12 games, per team/family confirmation). The season is ongoing — check the team's current record before publishing and update this number if more games have been played since.

GP combines regular-season and playoff games, individually sourced from official standings, team/season archives, and Wikipedia season articles — this is routine calculation (WP:CALC), not original research, since every number traces to a cited source, but no outside source states the combined totals themselves. A superscript note marks any stint where part of the figure rests on inference rather than a confirmed team total:

Administrative career

Outside of bench coaching, Ward has also held front-office and scouting roles in professional hockey.

OrganizationLeagueSeason(s)Position
ECHL (league office)ECHL2001–2002Senior vice president and director of hockey operations
Vancouver CanucksNHL2019–2022Professional scout
Sioux City MusketeersUSHL2022–2023General manager

Hockey and Sons

Ward is the founder and director of Hockey and Sons, an annual youth ice hockey camp in which a parent attends camp alongside their child, held at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. As of 2026, the camp was in its 29th year, dating its founding to 1998. A companion camp, Hockey and Daughters, follows the same parent-and-child format for fathers and daughters.

Media

During a gap in his coaching career, Ward worked as a radio color commentator for the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (2005–06) and as a college hockey commentator for CSTV (College Sports Television).

Awards and honors

Award Year
John Brophy Award - ECHL Coach of the Year 2000–01

References

  1. ↑ "Troy Ward — Assistant Coach, Shanghai Dragons (KHL)". Elite Prospects. Retrieved September 22, 2026.
  2. ↑ "ECHL's Ward Resigns". OurSportsCentral. May 6, 2002. Retrieved September 22, 2026.
  3. 1 2 Camp, Ben (July 7, 2025). "Hockey and Sons/Gustavus camp continues to grow and inspire in 28th year". Southern Minn / Le Sueur County News. Retrieved September 22, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Hockey and Sons Is More Than a Hockey Camp". Online Hockey Training. Retrieved September 22, 2026.
  5. ↑ Calgary Flames name Troy Ward head coach of AHL affiliate Abbotsford Heat - NHL.com - News