Edmonton Oilers defenseman Andrew Ference announces retirement

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Andrew Ference is retiring from professional hockey.

After 16 seasons in the NHL, Edmonton Oilers announced the retirement of defenseman Andrew Ference. Ference last played in 2015-16, only playing in six games for the Oilers that season. Ference is a veteran of 907 games with four different organizations.

Ference was drafted in the 8th round, 208th overall, in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ference would go on to play for the Penguins from 1999-2003, suiting up in 163 games for them. Ference scored 11 goals and had 25 assists to go with his 157 penalty minutes during his time in Pittsburgh.

Ference would then move on to play for the Calgary Flames from 2002-2007. Ference would play in 224 games for the Flames during that time, including his first full 82-game season in 2005-06. This would be the only time in his 907-game career that Ference would play in all 82 games in a season. During his time in Calgary he had 10 goals, 53 assists and 210 penalty minutes.

Ference joined the Boston Bruins to finish off the 2006-07 season. He would go on to play in 373 games for the Bruins. During his time in Boston he scored 16 goals, had 77 assists and had a total of 278 penalty minutes.

He then moved on to his fourth and final organization, the Edmonton Oilers. Ference played in 147 games for the Oilers. During this time he had six goals and 26 assists to go along with his 102 penalty minutes. Ference failed to get a single point in the six games he played back in the 2015-16 season, which was the last time he played in the NHL.

Next: All 30 NHL Franchises Ranked By All-Time Greatness

Ference also played in the Czech league during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. He played in 21 games during that season with Ceske Budejovice HC. During that short stint in the Czech league he had two goals, five assists and 24 penalty minutes.