“One of the key factors in winning a championship is to have your best players be your best people. If the players that are up and coming are following good leaders with great work ethic than these great players are not only making themselves better they are making everyone around them better.”
- Ray Bourque
Ray Bourque signs his autograph to collect toys for charity
Ray Bourque’s attitude about hockey is carried with him on and off the ice. Playing 22 seasons in the NHL Bourque ended his career as the all time point scoring defenseman in the history of the NHL. He won the Norris Trophy for Best Defenseman a total of 5 times and played in 19 consecutive NHL All Star Games. Bourque finally won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001, his final season.
Ray’s passion and drive is apparent in his post hockey career as well. Bourque’s annual charity event is an exclusive golf tournament, Bourque Golf, played annually to benefit Celebrities for Charity. Bourque still lives on the North Shore and owns the successful restaurant, Tresca in Boston’s North End.
In 2004 Ray was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame. “Hockey has given me everything I have in life. I owe hockey a lot more than it will ever owe me. Hockey has taken me to places I only dreamed of as a young boy. Hockey taught me lessons of winning and losing and it taught me to stand up for my teammates and for myself. Hockey has been my life.”
“Beyond his abilities on the ice, Bourque had skills as a person. They can be summed up in a word – class.” - Karen Guregian, Boston Herald
“The most humble, deferential 18-time All-Star in sports history” – Gerry Callahan, Boston Herald
Ray Bourque….
- Was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November, 2004
- Led the Boston Bruins in scoring on five different occasions and became one of three NHL defensemen to have scored over 300 goals
- Became only the sixth defenseman in NHL history to score 30 goals in a season, accomplishing the feat in the 1983-84 season
- Became only the fifth player to notch 1,000 assists in the 1997-98 season
- Had 19 consecutive All-Star appearances
- Won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 1979-80 and was a five-time Norris Trophy winner as the league’s best defenseman
Ray Bourque talks to Fox Morning Show | December 16, 2010
Ray Bourque talks to Gresh & Zo on the Sports Hub | December 17, 2010
