I can't believe how choked up I am about this. Andrew Ference, my second favorite player on the team, was traded from the Flames to Boston last night, and I've been teary-eyed ever since I found out. And when I read his "thank you" post on Calgary Puck, that threw me over the edge.
He was a fan favorite when he played here with the Winter Hawks in junior hockey. I still see a fair number of Ference jersies at games, almost 10 years later. He was once called "pound for pound the best defenceman in the league" by Darryl Sutter, the Flames coach at the time. Funny, because I think he's just about the smallest defenceman in the league. But he can still plaster much bigger guys into the boards with gusto.
He's also a real class act, involved in a lot of environmental work, a Right to Play ambassador, and actively involved in the NHL's players association. He's smart, well-spoken, a good interview, and even dropped by Calgary Puck from time to time to interact with fans. He signed a 3-year contract with a hometown discount just a few months ago, saying how much he loved the team and the city and wanted to stay, then got traded away. Sucks.
I know he'll be the same person in Boston, but I'll sure miss him being on my team.