Raymond J Bourque

Raymond J. Bourque, one of hockey's all-time greatest players, was born in Montreal in 1960. After three sterling seasons in the Quebec Junior League, he was chosen by the Boston Bruins in the NHL's 1979 entry draft. In his first NHL season, he scored 65 points, won the Calder Trophy as the rookie of the year and made the first NHL All-Star team. Through twenty seasons with the Bruins, twelve as team captain, Mr. Bourque earned 17 selections to NHL all-star teams. He was a five-time recipient of the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. After 21 seasons in Boston, Mr. Bourque was traded to the Colorado Avalanche in 2000. In the following year, he propelled Colorado to win the Stanley Cup. Despite the change in uniforms, Bourque will always be closely associated with the Bruins. Both the Bruins and the Avalanche retired his number 77. Mr. Bourque was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004. Mr. Bourque still lives in the Boston area with his wife Christianne, remaining active in several local charities, and was named a Boston Bruins team consultant on November 3, 2005. He is also the co-owner of an Italian restaurant, Tresca, in Boston's North End.