Former Boston Bruins and now Edmonton Oilers defenseman Andrew Ference has always stood out. He never did anything half-way as a player. He was a serious environmentalist. He was part of the 2011 Stanley Cup team, and became a fixture in the Boston community during his career with the Bruins.
Ference spent six and a half seasons with the Black and Gold. Ference quickly ingratiated himself into the Boston community by being a blue collar player that Bruins fans love. He played hard, fought harder, and he took to the Bruins rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens like a duck takes to water.
For those of you who forgot, this is the moment where Ference put his stamp on the ancient Bruins-Canadiens rivalry.
A moment so un-Canadian that other Canadians had to call him out for it. While Ference later apologized for the act (albeit a few years later), it endeared him forever to most of the Bruins fan base. Ference was utterly unapologetic during his time in Boston. He was the Bruin that called out opposing players early and often for any transgression that happened on the ice. While players like Shawn Thornton and Milan Lucic were more feared, one could count on Ference for instant payback.
Andrew Ference took a little time out of his day recently to thank all hockey fans over the years. He wanted to thank them for reminding everyone for telling him and every other NHL player to shoot the puck. Of course, Ference did it in his own honest and totally sarcastic manner.
Ference gave up his captaincy at the beginning of the season due to his status on the team. His production has slipped, and an injury took him out for the rest of the season. Even while he was healthy, Ference could at best be considered to be a sixth or seventh defenseman for Edmonton. Once again the Oilers are a team that are unlikely to see the playoffs for yet another season.
This will likely be his last season as a player in the NHL. It’s fitting and appropriate that Ference begins his goodbye from hockey in a hilarious and irreverent manner. It fits the attitude of a player who certainly helped change the locker room in Boston and Edmonton.