Minnesota announced the hiring of Troy G. Ward as an assistant head coach with the Mavericks.
Ward comes to Minnesota after spending the 2022-23 season with the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL as a general manager.
“Troy brings an element to our staff that is one that is highly experienced,” Minnesota State head coach Luke Strand said in a statement. “He is an incredibly talented coach on and off the ice. Most importantly, Troy will be a mentor and servant leader to our players. I am thrilled to work alongside Troy again.”
“It is an honor and a privilege to be joining the Mavericks,” Ward added. “I remember playing against the Mavericks in the NCHA as a player and coach dating back to Coach Don Bruce. Maverick hockey is a program of excellence and I look forward to continuing the tradition.”
Ward’s extensive coaching background includes stops in junior, collegiate, and professional hockey.
Ward earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UW-Eau Claire, and began his career there as an assistant and head coach. After starting as an assistant in the 1985-1986 and 1986-87 seasons, Ward spent three seasons as head coach of the BluGolds, posting a 45-win season, including an 18-win season in 1989-90. Those 18 wins were the most in a single season in program history at the time.
From 1990-93, Ward spent time as an assistant coach in Denver. From there, it was on to the USHL, where Ward headed the Dubuque Fighting Saints from 1993 to 1995.
Ward then jumped to the NHL, where he spent three years with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 1997 to 2000 as an assistant coach.
From 2002 to 2005, Ward was on the bench at Wisconsin as an assistant coach.
Boxing in his time at Wisconsin, Ward had two stints in the ECHL, one with the Trenton Titans (2000-01) and a second stop with the Victoria Salmon Kings (2005-2006). While with Trenton, Ward captured the Northern Conference title and was voted ECHL Coach of the Year.
From 2007 to 2008, Ward was an assistant coach with the AHL’s Houston Aeros, serving as the team’s defensive coordinator, with responsibilities including penalty kick lead. Ward then added front office duties on top of his on-ice coaching duties, where he also served as the Eros’ assistant general manager from 2008 to 2010.
The experience with the Eros created another opportunity, as Ward went on to serve as an assistant with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat from 2010 to 2011 before taking on head coaching responsibilities from 2011 to 2014.
Ward was next with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants (2014) and the USHL’s Madison Capitols (2015-16), before taking the helm with the Linz Black Wings (August 2017 – January 2019) of the Central European International Hockey League, a team to the semi-finals of the UEFA European Football Championship in 2018.
Most recently, Ward spent time from 2019-2022 as an amateur All-American scout with the Vancouver Canucks.