Everyday, Thehubofhockey.net will be handing out report cards for the 2010-11 NHL Stanley Cup Champions, Boston Bruins.

In order of jersey number, each individual will be showcased and given out a final grade for their regular season and playoff  efforts.

Today we’ll be looking at blue-liner, Andrew Ference.

Name: Andrew Ference
Position: Defense
Age: 32
Shoots: Left
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 189 lbs.
Contract: $2.25 million through 2012-13 NHL season

Defensive partner(s) — Dobberhockey.com:
EV: Adam McQuaid 33.89%, Zdeno Chara 29.06% — 67.76% Johnny Boychuk playoffs
PK: Chara 58.3%, Dennis Seidenberg 17.47% — Boychuk 55.62% playoffs

2010-11 NHL season stats:
Regular season: 70 GP, 3-12–15, plus-22, 60 PIM, 78 SOG
Playoffs: 25 GP, 4-6–10, plus-10, 37 PIM, 38 SOg

Anthony’s take: Ference — an underrated defenseman who is just as important to the Bruins blue-line as Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg — was excellent for the Bruins once again this season. Ference’s 15 points (3 goals) was good enough to tie him with Adam McQuaid for fourth on the Bruins in defensemen scoring.

Ference was a key factor for the B’s in the playoffs with 10 points (4 goals). Ference came up with some timely goals throughout the Bruins playoff run, and of course who can forget the “equipment malfunction” against the Canadiens in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Over the past two seasons the Bruins have gone 16-17-9 (5-3-3 this season) without Ference in the lineup, a little stat to show how important Ference really is. We all know Ference is not afraid to put his body on the line as No. 21 was 5th on the Bruins with 82 blocked shots.

Final grade: B

Marino’s grade: Not only did Ference become a solid top-3 D on the Bruins this season (particularly in the post season) but his average time on ice spiked from 17:58 in the regular season to 20:36  in the playoffs, and the 13-year pro remained healthy and virtually irreplaceable. One knock on Ference has been his tendency to deteriorate (in the groins) when he plays top-4 minutes; not the case this year. And his increase in offensive production also earned him some shifts on the team’s power play.

Small in stature but not in fortitude, Ference thrived when things got a little nasty in front of Tim Thomas’ crease. He has a mean and gritty side that he’s not scared of showing when needed, and that really from the start of the regular season and throughout the post season. Always the first one to have a teammates back (Freddy Meyer vs. Atlanta) or as seen below against Montreal in the playoffs, Ference’s fortitude has made him not only the ideal teammate, but a fan favorite as well.

From bottom pair to top-3, No. rightfully deserves a…

Final grade: B

Read the reviews of the other six 2010-11 NHL season report cards right here.