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Former Hurricanes Goalie Shares Comical Reaction to First NFL Draft Pick

One former Carolina Hurricanes goalie joined in on the fun during the first round of the NFL Draft.

Jon Alfano

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward in the game against the San Jose Sharks.
Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward in the game against the San Jose Sharks. / Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
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Longtime Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward hasn't played since 2019, so it must've been a big surprise when he heard his name called at Thursday night's NFL Draft.

Well, not really, but he still had a fun night regardless.

The Tennessee Titans did indeed take a Cam Ward at No. 1 overall on Thursday night, but not the 41-year-old retired goalie. Instead, they took the 22-year-old former Miami Hurricanes quarterback of the same name to be the new face of the franchise.

In response, the former goalie joined in on the joke that every hockey fan has been thinking of, posting a video of himself feigning surprise at the Titans' announcement.

"Did I just get picked?" Ward said with a humorous tone.

Hailing from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Ward was the No. 25 overall pick by Carolina in the 2002 NHL Draft. He rose to stardom during the Hurricanes' Stanley Cup run in 2006, when he posted a .920 save percentage, a 2.14 goals against average and a 15-8 record to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as a rookie.

Ward didn't even start the first game of the playoffs for Carolina, with veteran Martin Gerber instead receiving the nod. With that incredible run, however, he cemented himself as a Hurricanes icon.

Ward spent 13 of his 14 NHL seasons with the Hurricanes before closing out his career with the Chicago Blackhawks. He retired with a .908 save percentage, a 2.74 goals against average and a 334-256-88 record. He was inducted into the Hurricanes Hall of Fame in 2022, being one of the first players to join the exclusive club.

Hopefully, the two Cam Wards can meet some day, if only for the funny reactions both of them would have for each other.

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Jon Alfano
JON ALFANO

Jon is a lead writer for Baltimore Ravens On SI and contributes to other sites around the network as well. The Tampa native previously worked with sites such as ClutchPoints and GiveMeSport and earned his journalism degree at the University of Central Florida.

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