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Bruins report card: No. 21 Andrew Ference
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Name: Andrew Ference
Position: Defense
Age: 31
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 189
Shoots: Left
Status: $1.4M cap-hit — re-signed a three-year extension worth $6.75M; $2.25M per season
Defensive pairings:
Regular season, EV: 25.83% w/Mark Stuart
Regular season, EV: 23.10% w/Dennis Wideman
Playoffs, EV: 42.96% w/Adam McQuaid
Playoffs: 17.50% w/Wideman
The Good:
When healthy, Ference is a very good top-5 blueliner. Short in stature but not in heart or fortitude, No. 21 plays a much bigger and physical game than expected, and is a solid stay-at-home defenseman. Ference possesses valuable leadership qualities, overall, both on and off the ice.
Although a non-factor in scoring — and his inability to remain healthy — Ference returned to the lineup earlier than expected when Stuart went down-and-out with an infection in his finger. The 5’11” blue-liner meustered up the strength to step-in when desperately called upon, and served as the No. 5 defenseman with AHL call-up McQuaid.
The Bad:
A little more offense wouldn’t hurt. Then again, he’s never been known as an offensive defenseman. Ference posted 0-8-8 totals, a minus-7 — tied for the team’s worst (behind Byron Bitz’s minus-9 — and 60 shots on goal in 51 games played. The Edmonton, AB, Canada native averaged 19:42 of average ice time throughout the regular season, and suffered his second groin injury in as many years.
The 31-year-old oft-injured defenseman has averaged just 52 games per year in the last three seasons in Boston, while posting a mere 2-27-39 scoring totals over that span.
Some negativity could be pointed in Ference’s direction; or it could also be pointed to his fellow blue-liners. Wideman had a sub-par season, to say the least; Stuart was injured on three separate occasions; McQuaid is the No. 7/8 rookie defenseman.
Final Grade:
Don’t let the injuries take away from what Ference brings to the Bruins’ team when he is on the ice. Don’t let Peter Chiarelli’s over-payment/outrageous raise in contract for the injury-prone defenseman hinder his overall performance either. And more importantly, don’t overlook the positive attributes he brings to the locker room, organization and the community, whether he’s injured or not.
And once Claude Julien keeps Ference’s TOI down to a true 5/6 defenseman (14-17 minute range) the 31-year-old should wear-and-tear less often, and remain in the lineup more.
Next report card: No. 22 Shawn Thornton
You’re far too kind. 🙂 I am going to try not to be ultra negative, but instead share my thoughts on his play.
When I think of Ference, I think of sloppy play. Potential to be far better, but kinda similar to Wheeler in that he seems to lack the desire to win.
That, and there’s a reason he’s known somewhat on Twitter as “Glass-Groin Ference.” A player that gets injured as often as he does definitely doesn’t warrant such a sweet contract extension. And his signing may mean one of the three doesn’t get signed (Seid/Boychuk/Stuart), all of whom I’d take over Ference in a heartbeat.
I’m very curious why he got re-signed before any of them. What dirt does he have on Chia? Must be something good!
I thought he was okay with McQuaid, but McQuaid is pretty responsible defensively. What do you ultimately get from Ference? A sub par offensive player, and a sub par defensive player. He’s replaceable.
its good stuff you’ve written up here. Have been hunting for articles on this all over. Great blog
Hey Mark, great job with the site, I write about the Bruins myself. I’m going to have to disagree however, Ference is the worst signing in PC’s history behind Ryder. He is a lockerroom distraction I’ve heard from a very reliable source, and has been outcasted by veteran players such as Mark Recchi. I’m very anti-Ference not only because of his off-ice reputation but because he’s grossly overpaid and spends half the season in the doctors office—and when he’s healthy, which is rare, he’s invisible on the ice.
Cam: I’m not sure what you’re disagreeing with here. I think I mentioned that his contract, which start this year, was an overpayment and ridiculous.
Thanks for the comments.
“Don’t let the injuries take away from what Ference brings to the Bruins’ team when he is on the ice. Don’t let Peter Chiarelli’s over-payment/outrageous raise in contract for the injury-prone defenseman hinder his overall performance either. And more importantly, don’t overlook the positive attributes he brings to the locker room, organization and the community, whether he’s injured or not.”
He’s a lockerroom distraction, and he brings nothing to the team on the ice. He’s the most expendable player we have. So I guess the only disagreement I have is that one paragraph.
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