Andrew Ference is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over 16 seasons. He was born on March 17, 1979, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and began his hockey career playing for the Sherwood Park Kings in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
Ference was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the eighth round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Penguins during the 1999-2000 season and played with the team for four seasons. In 2003, he was traded to the Calgary Flames, where he played for two seasons before being traded to the Boston Bruins in 2007.
Ference played with the Bruins for seven seasons and was a key member of the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2011. He was known for his leadership and toughness on the ice, as well as his commitment to environmental causes off the ice. In 2013, he was named the Bruins' captain, but he left the team after the 2013-2014 season to sign with the Edmonton Oilers.
Ference played two seasons with the Oilers before injuries forced him to retire from professional hockey in 2016. Over the course of his career, he played in 907 NHL games, scoring 43 goals and 182 assists for a total of 225 points. He was also known for his physical play, racking up 753 penalty minutes over his career.
Off the ice, Ference was a vocal advocate for environmental causes and was known for his commitment to sustainability. He was a co-founder of the NHL's Green Initiative, which aimed to reduce the league's environmental impact, and he was also involved in a number of other environmental organizations and initiatives.
Overall, Andrew Ference had a successful career in the NHL, playing for four different teams and earning a reputation as a tough, physical player and a leader both on and off the ice.
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