| Born: | Mar 17, 1979 | Draft: | 1997 Penguins, 208th Overall |
| Hometown: | Edmonton, Alberta | Position: | Defense |
| Known For: | 2011 Stanley Cup Champion | Shoots: | Left |
| National Team: | Canada | Current Status: | Retired |
Andrew Ference (born March 17, 1979) is a retired Canadian ice hockey player, having played his final year in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers during the 2015-16 season. Drafted 208th overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ference split time with Pittsburgh and their American Hockey League affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for the first two seasons of his career before he became an NHL regular for the 2001-02 season. His ability to play tough minutes while contributing some scoring made him an asset to the Penguins, but he was dealt to the Calgary Flames during the 2002-03 season as the team was headed towards a second consecutive season of missing the playoffs.
He played in Calgary for three seasons, 63 points (10 goals, 53 assists) during that span and playing an important role in the Flames Stanley Cup run in 2004. During the lockout year, Ference played in the Czechia league for HC České Budějovice, helping the team capture the Czechia2 Championship and picking up 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists) in 19 games. Upon his return for the 2005-06 season, he registered career highs in assists (27) and points (31) with the Flames, and the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in seven games. The following year, Ference was dealt to the Boston Bruins in a multi-player trade involving Wayne Primeau going to Calgary.
With the Bruins, Ference played some of his best hockey defensively, appearing in six seasons with the team and serving as an alternate captain in the last two years. He was a part of the 2011 Stanley Cup-winning Bruins, although he was infamously remembered for his obscene gesture during the first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens. Although he claimed his middle finger was due to an equipment malfunction, he later admitted to the intentions and was fined $2,500. Ference finished his career as a member of the Oilers, serving as their captain from 2013 to 2015, and as an alternate captain for the 2015-16 season. The Oilers failed to make the playoffs in each season he played for them.
Andrew Ference Statistics
Deeper Dive
- Andrew Ference Shares Fax He Sent Teams Before 1997 Draft
- Andrew Ference’s Best Bruins Moments
- Andrew Ference Captains Culture Change in Edmonton
Achievements
- CHL Memorial Cup Champion (1998)
- CHL Plus/Minus Award (+75) (1998)
- CHL Third All-Star Team (1998)
- WHL (West) First All-Star Team (1998)
- WHL Best Plus/Minus (+75) (1998)
- WHL Champion (1998)
- U20 WJC Silver Medal (1999)
- WHL (West) Second All-Star Team (1999)
- WHL Humanitarian of the Year (Doug Wickenheiser Trophy) (1999)
- AHL All-Star Game (2001)
- NHL YoungStars Roster (2002)
- Czechia2 Champion (2005)
- NHL Stanley Cup Champion (2011)
- NHL Leadership-Humanitarian Award (King Clancy Trophy) (2014)