Andrew Ference
Andrew Ference
Andrew James Stewart Ferenceis a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and an alternate captain for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League. Ference started in the NHL during the 1999–2000 season and has played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins. In 2011, Ference helped the Bruins to their 6th Stanley Cup Championship. Ference was born in Edmonton, Alberta, but grew up in Sherwood Park, Alberta...
ProfessionHockey Player
Date of Birth17 March 1979
CityEdmonton, Canada
best chest good himself leads listen operate parental player pump superstar
He leads as a good friend, not as a parental figure. He leads as an equal. He doesn't put himself on the pedestal, pump his chest and say, 'Everybody listen up because I'm the best player here.' He doesn't operate that way. I don't think it's in his nature. There's not that intimidation, that superstar aura.
change emphasis giving goals highlights night team
We're not the team that is on the highlights every night with the pretty goals. But we're also not on the highlights giving up the pretty goals. We didn't change much this year. With this team, the emphasis is always going to be on our end.
caught climbing comfort eight excited games nature nice start tight win
To us, it's about climbing the standings. You win eight games and you're still tight with everybody. That's just the nature of the beast. It's nice to win, obviously, but you can't get too excited about it or you'll let it slide. Start patting yourself on the back too much and you're one or two games away from getting caught again. It doesn't give you a comfort zone.
download fill form guys missed news playing ready website
I'm disappointed with myself. I went on to the (NHLPA) website where there's the (absentee-ballot) form to download and fill out. I was all ready to do it, but I missed the (deadline). I feel for the guys playing down in the States. Down there, you get no news about Canada.
environment everybody good higher playoff priorities setting sights successful teams
After we had a successful (2004) playoff run. I think that's when the priorities changed. It's the environment everybody wanted to be a part of, with higher expectations and setting our sights higher. That's what good teams do.
consider dog easy games hard olympic playing teams tough year
But, when you see the standings every day, it's tough to consider this the dog days. So, mentally, it's pretty easy to get focused. Physically, obviously, it's a challenge. The Olympic year has compressed the schedule. The games are hard and fast, and look at the teams we're playing -- Vancouver, Vancouver, Nashville, Minnesota, Edmonton.
missed step
It was a step back. It was a missed opportunity.
cheer fans fought hard meat potatoes reasons support win within
That's one of the reasons we fought so hard to win the division. But it comes down to the players. The fans can only cheer and support us so much. Within this locker-room, that's where the meat and potatoes are.
open passes slow stretch
They want to slow it down and stretch things out, make cross-ice passes and have a lot of open room.
battling both close division expect fighting highway intense playoffs spot time tough whether
It's not just because we're close in proximity. For the first time in a long time we're both battling for the playoffs in a tough division and a tough conference. When two teams, whether they're just down the highway from each other or not, are both fighting for the same spot it's going to be good, intense hockey. You should expect nothing less.
drop fired gloves means ready star time
You don't want him to drop the gloves all the time because he's our star player. But when he does, nobody's too disappointed because that means he's fired up and ready to go.
character dressing everybody matter shows strong ton
There's strong character in our dressing room. Right now, it's just a matter of execution. If everybody shows up and does their job, I think there's a ton of confidence.
almost awful cheering deserved hardship hugging people seeing
Seeing people cheering for him and hugging him was almost sickening. He deserved every hardship because it was an awful thing that he did. It wasn't accidental.
buy checking few general highlight private shopping tour trip
A few of us got a private tour of the UN. That was the highlight of our trip -- it wasn't shopping or going to buy a new suit, it was checking out the General Assembly.