Ward is the only active NHL player who was born Feb. 29, as well as the only goaltender.
"I always celebrated it on the 28th; I liked to keep it in the same month," he said about his birthday in 2016. "I usually had a big celebration when the 29th came around because it only comes once every four years."
The fewest NHL games played by a Leap Day player is two, by Darryl Williams, a forward with the Kings in 1992-93 who's now an assistant coach for the Rangers. James Dobson, who played with the Minnesota North Stars and Colorado Rockies in the early 1980s, is next with 12.
Feb. 29 also has historic significance for three hockey legends.
Gordie Howe scored his 800th NHL goal during the Hartford Whalers' 3-0 victory against the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 29, 1980. Howe, who was about to turn 52, took a pass from Greg Carroll and beat Mike Liut for the milestone goal.
Twelve years later, Ray Bourque became the third NHL defenseman with 1,000 points, joining Denis Potvin and Paul Coffey. Bourque had a goal and two assists in the Boston Bruins' 5-5 tie against the Washington Capitals.
In 1996, Wayne Gretzky played his first game with the St. Louis Blues after being acquired in a trade with the Kings two days earlier. Gretzky scored a goal in a 2-2 tie with the Vancouver Canucks.