Ray Bourque

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During Bourque's tenure with the Bruins, the team continued what would be a North American professional record twenty-nine consecutive seasons in the playoffs, a streak that would persist through the 1996 season. It was capped by Bourque leading the team to the Stanley Cup finals against the Edmonton Oilers in both 1988 and 1990, and while the Bruins lost in both series, he finished second to Oiler Mark Messier in 1990 in the closest race ever for the Hart Memorial Trophy, the league's Most Valuable Player award. ] in Boston's North End.

His son, Chris Bourque, was drafted by the Washington Capitals in 2004. The younger Bourque is a well-regarded prospect who subsequently turned professional, playing for the Hershey Bears in the 2007 season and making his NHL debut for the Capitals in 2008.

Awards and achievements

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 defencemen. He won the Norris Trophy as the top defenceman in the league five times, fourth all-time only to Doug Harvey, Bobby Orr and Nicklas Lidström. Among his numerous other records and honors are the following:

* Is seventh in all-time games played with 1612.
* Is seventy-second in all-time goals scored with 410.
* Retired second, and is currently fourth, in all-time assists with 1169.
* Is ninth in all-time points scored with 1579.
* Is first in all-time points scored by a defense with 1579.
* Is first in all-time defense goals scored with 410.
* The NHL career leader in shots on goal with 6206, nearly a thousand ahead of the second leading shooter, Marcel Dionne. cite web|url=http://www.hockey-reference.com/leaders/shots_career.html|title="Career Shots On Goal leaders"|publisher=Hockey-Reference.com"|accessdate=2008-07-21]
* Is third in all-time cumulative plus-minus with 528, behind Larry Robinson and Bobby Orr.cite web|url=http://www.hockey-reference.com/leaders/plus_minus_career.html|title="Career Plus-Minus leaders"|publisher=Hockey-Reference.com"|accessdate=2008-07-21]
* Won the Norris Trophy in 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991 and 1994.
* Won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 1992.
* Received the Lester Patrick Trophy in 2003.
* Named a First Team All-Star in 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990–1994, 1996 and 2001.
* Named a Second Team All-Star in 1981, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1995 and 1999.
* Became only the sixth defenceman in NHL history to score 30 goals in a season, 1984
* Became only the third defenceman in NHL history to reach the 1,000 NHL points milestone, 1992
* Is the Bruins' all-time career leader in games played, assists and points; also ranks fourth in goals.
* Registered his 1,528th point Oct. 25, 2000, vs. Nashville, passing Paul Coffey as the NHL's all-time leader among defencemen.
* Registered his 1,137th assist Dec. 21, 2000 vs. L.A. Kings, passing Paul Coffey for second place on the NHL's all-time assists list and first among defencemen.
* Named to play in the All-Star Game for the 19th consecutive season, passing Wayne Gretzky for the league record, 2001
* Was named the Most Valuable Player of the All-Star Game in 1996.
* Is third all-time in playoff assists and tenth all-time in playoff points.
* In 1998, three years before the end of his career, he was ranked number 14 on "The Hockey News"' list of the one hundred greatest hockey players of all time. cite book|last=Dryden|first=Steve|title=The Top 100 NHL Players of All-Time|publisher=McClelland & Stewart|date=1999|isbn=978-07710-4175-4]

Career statistics

ee also

* Captain (ice hockey)
* Hockey Hall of Fame
* List of NHL players
* List of NHL statistical leaders
* Notable families in the NHL
* List of NHL players with 1000 points
* List of NHL players with 1000 games played

References

External links

*Legendsmember|Player|P200401
*hockeydb|520
* [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=290833 For Bourque, at long last Stanley]