Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference lamented the length of the NHL lockout while defending the players’ negotiating stance during an interview with WEEI’s Dennis & Callahan show Monday.

“I’m definitely relieved in many ways,” said Ference about the end of the dispute. “I’m relieved because I saw how close it came from both sides to pulling the plug on the season. I can’t possibly imagine what another lost year would have done to our sport.”