“I think all the players and the coaching staff agreed that those guys have that personality that gives them the respect in the room,’’ Julien said. “Also, they have that personality that shows leadership in the right way on and off the ice.
“They’re highly respected in the dressing room. Our guys really felt strongly. There didn’t seem to be any questions on whether they were the right choices. It really was pretty unanimous overall. They became the obvious choices.’’
Ference has been the second alternate before. Until 2008, Glen Murray was the second alternate. After the Bruins bought out Murray in the summer of 2008, Julien opted to rotate the “A’’ every 25 games among three players: Ference, Marc Savard, and Marco Sturm. Julien considers Ference a valuable link between the players and the coaching staff.
Ference caused waves in the dressing room before the start of the 2009-10 season. That summer, he was one of the central figures in the ouster of NHL Players Association executive director Paul Kelly. Some of Ference’s teammates didn’t appreciate how the rank and file weren’t informed of the proceedings until Kelly had been sacked.
Last night marked only the 25th regular-season game for Kelly as a Bruin. In that short span, however, he has become a respected presence in the room. In Ottawa, before general manager Bryan Murray dismantled the roster, Kelly was part of a leadership corps that included Daniel Alfredsson, Chris Phillips, and Mike Fisher. While Ference might be more vocal, Kelly shows his leadership via his professional approach on and off the ice.
Kelly made his greatest impact last season in the playoffs. In 25 games, he had five goals and eight assists while centering the No. 3 line and serving as a trusted penalty killer alongside Rich Peverley. Julien often tapped Kelly, Peverley, and Bergeron as his late-game line because of their three-zone reliability.
