Ference to be replaced as Bruins player rep

by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Oct 6, 2009 9:10 PM EDT

According to several reports, Bruins defenseman and NHLPA players' representative Andrew Ference will not return as the team's player rep. Ference was criticized by many around the league including Hall of Famer Brad Park for his role in the firing of former NHLPA head Paul Kelly.

Ken Campbell of The Hockey News is reporting that Ference did not seek re-election for the position out of embarrassment that he would not be be voted back by his teammates. According to Campbell, Mark Stuart will take over as the team's union rep with Patrice Bergeron serving as alternate player rep. Campbell mentioned that Mark Recchi stated his desire to run for election for Ference's position. I'm not sure if that was typo or he was referring to Stuart. I'm just glad that Ken Campbell didn't write the reading comprehension section of my SATs. Matt Kalman of The Bruins Blog with Matt Kalman interpreted it to mean that Recchi was named the player rep and even went as far as to misquote Campbell to try to make sense of the original Hockey New piece.

TSN's Darren Dreger is also reporting that Ference will be out as the Bruins player rep, but he has a slightly different take. While Campbell reported that the vote has already taken place and Mark Stuart (or Mark Recchi, depending on how you interpreted Campbell's piece) will be the player rep, Dreger has Stuart and Dennis Wideman both vying for the gig.

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Wow

I was wondering when this would come up. Awk-warrrrd.

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by Dominik on Oct 7, 2009 12:07 AM EDT reply actions

Recchi should be the rep. He has the most experience on the team and more than most players in the legaue, for that matter

by delta on Oct 7, 2009 9:28 AM EDT reply actions

He is.

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 7, 2009 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm pleading ignorance.

Why was this such a big deal? I will admit that I don’t follow the management of the league, but then again, I really don’t for any league. I follow the development of players in the system, not this stuff.

Who was this guy who got fired? Why is everyone angry at Ferrence? Is the anger at Ferrence justified?

by 13_Legion on Oct 7, 2009 10:39 AM EDT reply actions

First, this is about the Player's Association (NHLPA)

Paul Kelly was the head of the NHLPA, he also was the lawyer that led the charge to get a previous NHLPA head (I think it was alan eagleson) removed when he was found to be doing something bad (I forget what).

some players thought Paul Kelly was too buddy-buddy with the league, for some reason. Ference is credited with being a player leader in getting Paul Kelly fired after he looked at the notes of a meeting he wasn’t invited to (but probably should have been). The best part about this is Paul Kelly was the one who told the NHLPA he had looked at the notes. This got trumped up by Eric Lindros and his buddies.

Andrew Ference supposedly led the charge to get Paul Kelly fired, and it was done without the consent of most of the players. Most of them thought it happened too fast and the whole thing stinks to high heaven with funny business.

The reason this is a big deal is that the Collective Bargaining agreement needs to get negotiated soon.

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 7, 2009 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions

Thank you.

That shines some more light on this.

So he’s being vilified for looking at notes that were hoped to be hidden from all the representatives? Yeah, that does smell fishy.

Yes, if this damages Collective Bargaining, this could be a problem.

by 13_Legion on Oct 7, 2009 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions

So he’s being vilified for looking at notes that were hoped to be hidden from all the representatives? Yeah, that does smell fishy.

I may have been unclear. Paul Kelly looked at the meeting notes.

Andrew Ference is said to be the player rep that led what’s been portrayed in the media as basically a crazy lynch mob.

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 7, 2009 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Ference was part of the commitee that fired Kelly. I’m not sure if he was a leader. From what it sounds like he was kind of a follower. I don’t know a ton about the situation, but like Cornelius said it seems like it was a sketchy situation.

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by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Oct 7, 2009 8:07 PM EDT up reply actions

In one article I read he was the player leader, but pretty much just following what Eric Lindros and pals were saying, because they didn’t like paul kelly one bit.

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 7, 2009 8:43 PM EDT up reply actions