Was extending Andrew Ference a mistake for the Bruins?

Here's Andrew Ference making the same face I made when I learned he'd be returning to the B's. Photo courtesy of Flickr - Credit: Rubyswoon

By Mike Miccoli, Boston Bruins correspondent

Perplexed was I upon reading the news that the Boston Bruins had extended Andrew Ference’s contract for an additional three-years with a cap hit of $2.25 million per year, an $850,000 raise from his current $1.4 million salary.

And I know I’m not the only one.

Maybe it’s because I believed that Ference, who was set to become an unrestricted free agent come July 1, would be donning a different jersey once the 2010-11 season began. Or maybe it was because Ference is, at best, a bottom pair defenseman and let’s be honest, the B’s have too many skaters right now who carry that distinction. But really, I think it’s because I don’t quite understand how someone who hasn’t made a tangible impact on the team nor has yet to play more than 60 games in a season while wearing a spoked-B is eligible for a raise.

A little help here?

While it might not be a marquee year for the Boston Bruins when it comes to the team’s upcoming free agents, a considerable amount of players could be heading elsewhere after the 2009-10 season concludes. Since the Bruins had already addressed and locked up the once-potential restricted free agents, Milan Lucic and Tuukka Rask, earlier in the season, it had seemed the focus would now shift to retaining the services of the future-free agent defenseman. With blue-liners Mark Stuart and Johnny Boychuk (who have shown their worth in this topsy-turvy season) heading towards uncertainty, it didn’t seem like the oft-injured Ference would be the first to be addressed.

But to be fair and for argument’s sake, the Bruins are a statistically better team when Ference is in the lineup. This is true. In the 50 games that the 31-year old has dressed for this year, Boston holds a demanding 28-15-7 record against opponents. With Ference out of the lineup, the B’s are a despicable 4-12-5. Great record when he’s healthy, but that’s the problem. He’s last played a full 82-game season in 2005-06 with Calgary, his best statistical season.

Could it be that Andrew Ference provides that much leadership to the team and holds clout in the Bruins’ locker room? Though he’s well-liked and does tremendous work with schools and charities around the city, methinks not.

Plus, in the salary cap era, every dollar counts. Take it from guys like Dennis Wideman and Michael Ryder who are lavishly overpaid based on their annual cap hit ($3.93 million for Wideman, $4 million for Ryder). Now that Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli has designated a good sum of what would have been free cap space in the offseason to Ference, look for the B’s budget to be tight elsewhere on the roster. Say for example, with the forwards, what should be their number one concern once summer hits.

Photo courtesy of Flickr - Credit: Dinur

As it stands, the Bruins are set for Dennis Seidenberg, Mark Recchi, Miroslav Satan, Steve Begin and Shawn Thornton all to become unrestricted free agents. Realistically, one, maybe two, of those players could be deemed a possibility for re-signing with the Bruins. Take away the forwards for a moment–Ference’s new contract is exactly what Seidenberg’s cap hit is currently: $2.25 million. Look at the difference in play and production between the two and now imagine what Seidenberg could cost. Good grief.

Now, factor in Blake Wheeler, Daniel Paille, Vladimir Sobotka, Boychuk and Stuart as the upcoming restricted free agents. Boychuk could be the easiest to re-sign, possibly somewhere in the $850K-$1.3 mil. range, but Stuart could come with a higher price tag, upwards to Ference’s salary and possibly beyond. And why not after seeing what Ference signed today? The cap becomes an issue once again when looking at the amount of roster spots that need to be filled but with smaller funds to use. It’s going to be close to impossible to sign or re-sign those ‘game-changing players’ the B’s have been longing for without shedding some outstanding salary.

It’s ironic how the Bruins of the past would get critiqued for being cheap and not offering enough money to keep talent in town. Now look at them–throwing money and three-year deals around as if the team was trying to prove a point. Point proven.

Ference shouldn’t have been extended in order to make room for the changes necessary for the Bruins to better themselves next season. The list of UFA defensemen this offseason is interesting enough with ample veterans and young game-breakers available making it seem like an odd choice to revert back to Ference as a keeper, especially with a raise tacked on. The guy does compete and play hard when he’s on the ice, but he’s not a top defenseman and really isn’t vital to what this team is trying to accomplish.

Going forward, Chiarelli should be asking “is this a player that will help win our team a championship?” when considering how he chooses to build the future Bruins. Is Ference that player? I’m sorry, but for $2.25 million per year, he isn’t.

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