HOCKEY NOTES

Ray Bourque

Defense

5-11 210

b. 28 Dec 1960 Montreal, Quebec

First there was Eddie Shore, a seething, scowling bloodbowler from hockey's Missing Tooth Era. Then there was Bobby Orr, who, with one part razzle and one part dazzle, revolutionized the role of the defenseman. Finally, there was Raymond Jean Bourque, the latest of the great Boston Bruin defenders. And for the Boston Bruins, who took him 8th overall in the 1979 Entry Draft, he couldn't have come along at a better time. Since the departure of Orr three years earlier, the team had been in dire need of a front-line quarterback. While Brad Park was one of the top defensemen around, he was not getting any younger. Bourque had managed 56 goals and 220 points in 204 games in the Quebec juniors. "[Bourque] can shoot so well," gushed Bruin defenseman Mike Milbury in October 1979. "He can skate. He's quick. He can pass. He has everything ... I'd have to compare him to Denis Potvin. It won't take long before he's as good as Potvin."

Bourque's first season in the NHL went well. He played the full 80 games, setting a new record for points by a rookie defenseman with 65. This, on top of some great defensive work and a +52 rating, brought Bourque the Calder Trophy and his first of 18 All-Star nods. Very impressive. In the playoffs, Bourque led his 46-21-13 Bruins through 10 games, scoring two goals and 11 points in a losing cause. In the next few years, Bourque steadily improved. In 1983-84, he equaled Denis Potvin's goal total of 31 in one season.

Bourque was one of those rare players who possessed all skills. His shot ranked among the best in the NHL while his point-control was masterful. He was deadly on the power play, especially when rough-and-tumble sniper Cam Neely was on the ice. Few in hockey history had Bourque's mix of skating, passing, checking and shooting.

On December 3, 1987 the Bruins held Phil Esposito Night to honor the former scoring star. It was a major event as Esposito was to be only the seventh player in club history to have his jersey number retired. Midway through the ceremonies, Bourque met Esposito at center ice, took off his #7 jersey, and handed it to the former center and '72 Team Canada leader. Underneath, Bourque wore his now equally famous #77. "All I could say when I saw Raymond in that '77' was 'Raymond, thank you,'" Esposito would say later. "I had no idea."

Bourque continued to work hard despite his club's failure to take the Stanley Cup. Through the 1998-99 season, the 5-time Norris Trophy winner had almost 1,500 points. He had seen action in three Canada Cup tournaments, 18 All-Star games, and an Olympic tournament. In early 2000, Boston accommodated Bourque's request to be traded to a Cup contender -- Bourque went to the Colorado Avalanche with Dave Andreychuk, for Brian Rolston, Martin Grenier Samuel Påhlsson.

In only a season and a half Colorado, Bourque proved to be a strong presence both on the ice and in the locker room. He still had the goods scoring-wise, leading Colorado defensemen in scoring and quarterbacking a very potent Colorado power-play.

On June 9th, 2001, Bourque, after 22 seasons and 1,826 total games played, Bourque got his name on the Stanley Cup. The clinching game was Bourque's final game as a hockey player. 

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