{"id":440516,"date":"2026-01-31T08:43:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T08:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/440516\/"},"modified":"2026-01-31T08:43:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T08:43:11","slug":"catching-up-with-taylor-ward-after-signing-a-two-year-contract-extension-with-the-kings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/440516\/","title":{"rendered":"Catching up with Taylor Ward after signing a two-year contract extension with the Kings"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s always nice to see a guy who has earned everything he\u2019s gotten get rewarded for it. <\/p>\n

Sometimes it takes a player years of proving himself to earn that reward. Sometimes it comes instantly. For Kings forward Taylor Ward, it\u2019s kind of been both. <\/p>\n

Ward played three full seasons with the AHL\u2019s Ontario Reign before he made his NHL debut in Game 82 last season, when the Kings needed a player to fill in, as the team rested several veteran players in advance of the playoffs. Ward had played more than 200 AHL games by that point without an NHL callup. <\/p>\n

He played that game against the Calgary Flames, impressed individually, though in a game that did not matter for the Kings from a wins and losses perspective. What he did, though, was leave a bit of an impression. He only furthered that impression in training camp this fall, when I think you can argue he was the second best player in terms of standing out compared to expectations. Only problem is that the only guy ahead of him was Jeff Malott, who claimed the only spot up for grabs after forward Corey Perry got injured. <\/p>\n

Still, Ward\u2019s play left an impression on Jim Hiller and several within upper management. When injuries hit the Kings in January, Ward was recalled from the Ontario Reign and he hasn\u2019t looked back. Not only has Ward not missed a game since he was recalled but just 10 games after he made his season debut, he agreed to terms on a two-year contract extension, a one-way contract, that keeps him with the Kings through the 2027-28 season.<\/p>\n

Three years to get a look but just ten games to get the acknowledgement. That\u2019s good work.<\/p>\n

And there\u2019s more to come.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just goes to show that you don\u2019t give up on yourself, get better, wait for your opportunity,\u201d Head Coach Jim Hiller said of Ward. \u201cI think the most important part for him was the one game he played against Calgary at the end of last year and he realized he could play in the league. Had a great summer, turned that into a great training camp, it was hard for us to send him down but he certainly left an impression. Now he gets called back up and he\u2019s right back at it. It\u2019s really a great story for a lot of players that are out there, grinding in the minors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part of it for Ward has been finding the right fit. <\/p>\n

Due to a variety of factors, the Kings have had what has felt like endless combinations of players on their fourth line this season. Sometimes it\u2019s performance related, other times it\u2019s injuries, but there has been very little continuity as players have gone up and down in the lineup. Of late, it\u2019s been Ward alongside Samuel Helenius and Jeff Malott and the Kings have gotten some of their most consistent minutes from that trio.<\/p>\n

All three players came through the system, despite different backgrounds. Ward was an undrafted free agent, who the Kings signed out of the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Helenius was a second-round draft pick. Malott was signed as a free agent from the Winnipeg Jets. All three came through the Ontario Reign. For their part, Malott and Helenius were both stoked for Ward to get the reward he\u2019s deserved. <\/p>\n

Helenius \u2013 Oh yeah, I\u2019m really happy, really, really happy for him. Wardo is a worker. I\u2019m just excited and it\u2019s really good for him, I\u2019m really happy for him.<\/p>\n

Malott \u2013 Oh man, that was awesome. Everyone was at the hotel, happy for him. Awesome dude, works his bag off and everyone was excited for him.<\/p>\n

WARD-O 1-0 pic.twitter.com\/TKHzKV2X8h<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 LA Kings (@LAKings) January 25, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

That brings us to the man himself. <\/p>\n

Ward\u2019s pending unrestricted free agency wasn\u2019t exactly the most pressing topic as it pertains to such decisions. For the Kings, there are several players here with pending free agencies to deal with who have caught more of the attention. But the Kings saw an opportunity with Ward. They saw a player they believe is an NHL player and someone who could be an NHL\u2019er next season and beyond. <\/p>\n

So, they jumped into action and for Ward\u2019s part, he was extremely happy to get the job done as quickly as it did. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt means the world. It happened pretty quick, which is nice, I didn\u2019t have to go too long,\u201d he said. \u201cIt came up quick and I was very excited. Now, I just get to keep my focus on helping this team win games.\u201d<\/p>\n

How quickly?<\/p>\n

Ward said it took around 24 hours from when he heard from his representation that there was interest to actually signing the extension. Quick work. <\/p>\n

At a salary-cap hit of $875,000, Ward will earn one-way money for the next two seasons. Per PuckPedia, it\u2019s $850,000 in 2026-27 and $900,000 in 2027-28. <\/p>\n

For the team, that\u2019s close to the league minimum, which makes him an appealing option for the Kings to have around, at a manageable cap hit. For the player, it\u2019s a raise off of his current contract at the NHL level and a guaranteed NHL salary, whether he makes the team or not. That\u2019s important and it\u2019s always a big step for someone who comes from the minor leagues. A badge of honor of sorts. Ward\u2019s got that badge now.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s grown my confidence for sure, but I\u2019m just super grateful and super humbled,\u201d Ward said of the one-way deal. \u201cI\u2019m just very, very happy to be a part of this organization. They\u2019ve been just fantastic to me. I couldn\u2019t be happier.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he moves forward, there\u2019s certainly some optimism on both sides that there is even a bit more to come. <\/p>\n

Ward\u2019s next step is moving from callup to NHL regular. It\u2019s not an easy step. Look at Malott. He was recalled last season when Tanner Jeannot got injured and although he played in all six playoff games last spring, without the injury to Perry in September, he\u2019d have been in a dogfight to even make the team, if there was a spot open for him. <\/p>\n

So, there are no guarantees that Ward will be on the team for the long haul. But he has done just about everything within his power to state his case that he shouldn\u2019t go back to the AHL. Having played in his tenth game of the season in Detroit, Ward would require waivers to be loaned back to Ontario this season. If people are watching, you wonder if he\u2019d even clear. Presently, even when everyone is healthy, there\u2019s a spot for him to stick around in the numbers game, but you never know how situations can change as the Kings evaluate the kinds of moves they could make this season, especially up front. <\/p>\n

Without a belief that he could be an NHL player full time, the Kings might not have offered the one-way deal. But they did, meaning a larger financial commitment regardless of where he plays. It\u2019s not millions and it\u2019s not an eight-year deal. But it\u2019s something. Says something. Means something. <\/p>\n

For a guy like Ward, he too believes that he can continue to play in this league. In some ways, that is outside of his control. What is within his control, though, is the 100 percent he gives each and every day. His focus is on the ice, not on on the construction of the roster. All he can continue to do is showcase why not only be among the 23 players on the roster, but one of the 12 forwards selected to play every night. <\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody is just very focused on the present and that\u2019s perfect for me, that\u2019s where I like to live,\u201d Ward added. \u201cJust game-by-game, do the best I can on that particular day, in that situation and I think the future will take care of itself. Just do what I can today and we\u2019ll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the time being, as the Kings have two forwards out due to injury, I\u2019d expect to see Ward continue to play alongside Helenius and Malott. It\u2019s an effective line that has helped the team to a few wins recently. He\u2019d certainly like to keep that going, as the Kings would as well. <\/p>\n

With a new contract now in the rear-view mirror, Ward has the reward he\u2019s deserved. Guys like that, always something to feel good about. <\/p>\n

Had the chance to chat with Ward for a longer-form interview as a part of this week\u2019s All The Kings Men episode. Video to come in short order, but sharing the full audio conversation below! Enjoyed the conversation with a character guy and hope you all do as well.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n