Southeast Division: Ward doesn’t see reason for revenge on Walker

Ward's finest moment.

Tomorrow night Aaron Ward makes his return to Boston to face his old team in a Carolina Hurricanes uniform at TD Garden.

While that would normally be emotional in its own right, the matter of Ward coming back as a teammate of last spring’s playoff villain Scott Walker adds more intrigue to the situation.

This week, Ward told me for my ESPNBoston.com blog that he doesn’t see any point in Bruins tough guy Shawn Thornton or any member of the Black and Gold exacting any type of revenge. And Ward is probably right, but the fans and the city will probably demand that somebody do something physical to make a statement not just about Walker’s sucker-punch from last season but also the seven-game victory by the lower-seeded ‘Canes.

Before the ‘Canes come to Boston, they open their regular season tonight at home against Philadelphia. Goaltender Cam Ward, fresh off signing a lucrative contract extension, is scheduled to not only get the start but probably carry a huge load of ice time throughout this season. Ward’s play this season will go a long way toward determining if Carolina’s core of veterans, led by captain Rod Brind’Amour, can make one last run toward a Stanley Cup.

If Carolina and Boston are as competitive this season as they project to be, these teams could meet more than just the four times they’re scheduled for the regular season. So tomorrow night’s clash could set an early tone both in terms of the hockey and the extracurricular activities.