Kukla's Korner Hockey

Andrew Ference On Slowing Down
by Paul on 02/22/16 at 08:08 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Marty Klinkenberg of the Globe and Mail,
Andrew Ference was healthy when he arrived for training camp with the Edmonton Oilers last summer. He set a team record for lung capacity during fitness tests.
“I felt great,” said Ference, a defenceman who will turn 37 next month. “It was like, ‘Let’s go.’”
Then something happened that hadn’t before. Not in Pittsburgh or Calgary or Boston or Edmonton, where he landed two years ago. At first he played only occasionally. Then he was scratched from the lineup night after night.
“It totally has everything to do with getting older,” Ference said over coffee at an organic café near his house. The parking lot is icy, but it is comfy inside. High school students on their lunch break crowd around a table and pick at veggie quiches beside a fireplace. “When you are an athlete, age is always the enemy.
“Along with having pure foot speed, I think when you are younger you think quicker on the ice. As much as your body plays a role, your mind does as well. I don’t know how you measure it, but there were points early in the season where I felt my reaction time was a little slower than it used to be.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Edmonton Oilers, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: andrew+ference
Comments
Be the first to comment.
Add a Comment
Please limit embedded image or media size to 575 pixels wide.
Add your own avatar by joining Kukla's Korner, or logging in and uploading one in your member control panel.
Captchas bug you? Join KK or log in and you won't have to bother.

Most Recent Blog Posts
Nazem Kadri Has Received Threats Against Him
Video- Gerard Gallant Post Game
Two More Years For Mark Giordano In Toronto
Open Post- Day 19 Of The Stanley Cup Playoffs
Video- Jordan Binnington May Have A Knee Injury
About Kukla's Korner Hockey
Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.
From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.
Email Paul anytime at pk@kuklaskorner.com