Bruins welcome back Andrew Ference to the TD Garden.

Dec 12, 2013; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers defenseman Andrew Ference (21) and Boston Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg (44) chase a loose puck during the first period at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

There are players who have made a solid impact on the Boston Bruins and their fans. Former Bruins alternate captain Andrew Ference is one of those people. If you’re walking down Bolyston Street past the Boston Public Library, you’ll still see billboards with Andrew Ference asking Boston residents to be more energy conscious and efficient. He still highly regarded by the Bruins organization, giving Ference a little face time on the Bruins ‘Behind the B’ series.

This will be the first time Andrew Ference will be back in Boston playing NHL hockey. He was a victim of the salary cap last season. The Bruins had young defensemen coming into the NHL level, and to bring them on board, it was necessary for the Bruins to part ways with Ference. There were no hard feelings there, it’s just the way today’s league works. Ference plays a solid game, and he was quickly snapped up by another franchise.

Ference signed a four year deal with the Edmonton Oilers. Their organization knew the leader they were getting and quickly decided to promote him to team captain. It was a homecoming of sorts for him, who was raised in the area and grew up idolizing the Oilers. Even though he’s thousands of miles and several time zones away, the Edmonton captain is grateful to the city of Boston and all the fans of the Bruins organization.

“I’m really lucky,” Ference said, according to the Oilers’ website. “The people here care so much about their sports, and when they see athletes embrace the city and do more outside their little bubble of sports, I think they’re really appreciative of that. We made a lot of close friends. It’s more about just coming to the city and playing a game. It’s about being part of the community and embracing the place you call home.”

Great to know that the veteran blueliner still considers Boston his home. In previous documentaries, players like Ference and Bruins forward Shawn Thornton talked about Boston. While they are both Canadian by birth, they consider Boston their home and the place they want to raise their families.  Both of them seemed sure that they wanted to stay in Boston after hockey and remain part of the communities they love so much. He’ll certainly get a taste of that old community when he meets the Bruins tomorrow afternoon at the TD Garden.