ABC11 NHL playoff analyst Aaron Ward breaks down Hurricanes vs Capitals

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — Aaron Ward knows all about the intensity of the NHL playoffs.

A total of 95 of his 934 career games as a defenseman came in the postseason, 25 of them in that glorious 2006 Hurricanes run to the Stanley Cup.

He’s been on the winning and losing side, and spent plenty of time as a teammate of Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour and captain Justin Williams.

Needless to say, he brings intimate knowledge to the table of what it takes to succeed at this time of year.

Ward will be joining ABC11 throughout the Hurricanes’ playoff run.

On Tuesday, he and I previewed the Canes and Capitals matchup in Round 1. What will it take for the Canes to upset the defending champs?

“From my experience, familiarity plays in favor of the underdog, and that’s the Carolina Hurricanes coming into this,” Ward said. “You know what you’re getting. You’ve seen every highlight … you know what you’ve got as a team in Washington.”

Watch the video for the full analysis.