Raymond Bourque

Raymond Jean Bourque (b. December 28, 1960 at Saint-Laurent, now part of Montreal, Quebec, Canada) is a Hockey Hall of Famer who currently holds the records for most goals, assists and points by a defenseman in the National Hockey League (NHL) and has become near-synonymous with the Boston Bruins hockey team.

Related Topics:
December 28 - 1960 - Saint-Laurent - Montreal - Quebec - Canada - Hockey Hall of Fame - National Hockey League - Boston Bruins

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Ray Bourque burst onto the NHL scene in 1979 after being drafted in the first round 8th overall by the Boston Bruins. Bourque immediately asserted himself as one of the best defensemen in the league, and won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year for the 1979-80 season and a First Team All-Star selection both, the first time in NHL history a non-goaltender had ever achieved such a distinction.

Related Topics:
1979 - Boston Bruins - Defensemen - Calder Trophy

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Bourque was a solid force for Boston for twenty-one seasons (1979-2000), famous for combining offensive prowess at a level that few defensemen in league history had ever achieved -- he was a perennial shot accuracy champion at All-Star Games -- and near-unparalleled defensive excellence. The Bruins' reliance on his on-ice mastery was so total that -- while Bourque was very durable throughout much of his career -- the team was seen by many to flounder whenever he was out of the lineup.

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Bourque's prowess led him to become one of the most honored players in NHL history. During his career he was selected to thirteen First Team (the most in history) and six Second Team All-Star squads, second in total in league history only to Gordie Howe and most amongst defensemen. In 1990 Bourque finished second to Mark Messier in the closest race ever for the Hart Memorial Trophy, the league's Most Valuable Player award. He also served as Boston's team captain for fourteen seasons, the longest tenure in Bruins' history and the second longest in NHL history. He won the Norris Trophy as the top defenseman in the league five times, third all-time only to Doug Harvey, and Bobby Orr. In 1998, he represented Canada at the Winter Olympics at Nagano, Japan.

Related Topics:
Gordie Howe - 1990 - Hart Memorial Trophy - Captain - Norris Trophy - Doug Harvey - Bobby Orr - Canada - Winter Olympics - Nagano - Japan

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Early in 2000, Bourque requested a trade from the fading Bruins so he would have a chance to win the Stanley Cup. The Bruins facilitated a deal and on March 6, 2000, Bourque was traded to Colorado with Dave Andreychuk for Brian Rolston, Martin Grenier, Samuel Pahlsson, and a first round draft pick.

Related Topics:
2000 - Stanley Cup - Dave Andreychuk - Brian Rolston - Martin Grenier - Samuel Pahlsson

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Although Bourque played just 128 games with the Colorado Avalanche, he proved to be a force both on the ice and in the locker room. Finally, on June 9, 2001, after 22 seasons, the Avalanche -- and Bourque -- won the Stanley Cup, in what proved to be Bourque's final game as a player. He had waited longer to win his first Cup than any other Cup-winning player had in the 108-year history of Stanley Cup play. On June 12, 2001, Bourque exercised his right as a player to bring the Cup back to Boston for an emotional rally in City Hall Plaza attended by some twenty thousand screaming fans.

Related Topics:
Colorado Avalanche - June 9 - 2001 - Stanley Cup - City Hall Plaza

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His career statistics include 410 goals and 1169 assists for 1579 points, all records for a defenseman. His uniform number 77 has been retired by both the Bruins and the Avalanche.

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Ray Bourque was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004. He still lives in the Boston area, remaining active in several local charities.

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