A native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Cam was selected 25th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes. He won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006, becoming the first starting goaltender to win the NHL championship as a rookie since Patrick Roy in 1986. In 2011 he was selected to play in the NHL all-star game.

Internationally, Ward was a member of the 2007 Canadian IIHF World Championship team that won gold and a member of the 2008 Canadian IIHF World Championship team that won silver.