If you are a fan of ice hockey, you might have wondered if Rene Bourque and Ray Bourque are related. Both players share a common surname and have played in the National Hockey League (NHL) as right wingers. However, the truth is that they are not related at all. They are just two hockey players who happen to have the same last name.
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Rene Bourque: A Métis Hockey Star
Rene Bourque was born on December 10, 1981, in Lac La Biche, Alberta, Canada. He is of Métis heritage, which means he has mixed ancestry of Indigenous and European descent. His father, Gary, worked in the oil industry, while his mother, Barbara, was a social worker. He has a fraternal twin sister, Chantal, and two elder sisters, Kim and Nadia, who are also fraternal twins.
Rene started playing hockey at a young age and attended the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Saskatchewan, where he was an honours student. He declined to play major junior hockey for the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League (WHL) because he wanted to keep his eligibility for college hockey. He played four seasons for the University of Wisconsin, where he was a co-captain in his senior year.
Rene was not drafted by any NHL team, but he signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2004. He made his NHL debut in 2005-06 and scored 16 goals and 34 points in 77 games. He spent three seasons with the Blackhawks before he was traded to the Calgary Flames in 2008. He had his best season in 2009-10, when he scored 27 goals and 58 points in 73 games.
Rene played for the Flames until 2012, when he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. He had a memorable playoff run with the Canadiens in 2014, when he scored eight goals and 11 points in 17 games. He also played for the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche before he retired from the NHL in 2018. He finished his NHL career with 163 goals and 316 points in 725 games.
Rene also represented Canada at the international level. He played at the 2010 IIHF World Championship and won a bronze medal. He also played at the 2018 Winter Olympics and won another bronze medal.
Rene is married to Jana Flatt, a former Miss Rodeo Canada. They have three children: Kingston, Bryelle and Axel. Rene is involved in several charitable causes that support aboriginal children and youth from rural Northern Alberta.
Ray Bourque: A Hall of Fame Legend
Ray Bourque was born on December 28, 1960, in Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada. He is of Acadian descent, which means he has French ancestry from the Maritime provinces of Canada. His parents were Raymond Bourque Sr. and Anita Allain. His mother died from cancer when he was 12 years old, while his father died in 2009. He has two brothers: Richard and Michel.
Ray started playing hockey at a young age and joined the Trois-Rivières Draveurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in 1976. He played three seasons for the Draveurs and was named the league’s best defenceman in 1978 and 1979. He was drafted eighth overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft.
Ray made an immediate impact in Boston during his rookie season of 1979-80. He scored a goal in his first game and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year. He also earned a First Team All-Star selection, becoming the first non-goaltender to do so in NHL history.
Ray established himself as one of the best defencemen of all time during his 21 seasons with the Bruins. He won five James Norris Memorial Trophies as the NHL’s best defenceman and finished second six times. He also finished second twice for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player. He was named to the end-of-season All-Star teams 19 times, 13 on the first-team and six on the second-team.
Ray became Boston’s longest-serving captain in 1985 and led them to two Stanley Cup Finals appearances in 1988 and 1990. However, he never won the Cup with the Bruins despite being their franchise leader in games played (1,518), assists (1,111) and points (1,506). He also holds NHL records for most career goals (410), assists (1,169) and points (1,579) by a defenceman.
Ray requested a trade from the Bruins in 2000, hoping to win a Stanley Cup before he retired. He was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, where he joined forces with fellow superstar Joe Sakic. He finally achieved his dream in 2001, when he lifted the Cup in his final NHL game. He retired as the fourth-highest scoring player of all time and the highest-scoring defenceman of all time.
Ray also represented Canada at the international level. He played in four Canada Cups and won three gold medals in 1981, 1984 and 1987. He also played at the 1998 Winter Olympics and finished fourth.
Ray was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004, his first year of eligibility. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players and defencemen of all time. In 2017, he was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players.
Ray is married to Christiane Gagné, a former Miss Quebec. They have four children: Christopher, Melissa, Ryan and Alexandra. Ray is involved in several charitable causes that support children and families in need.
Conclusion: No Relation, Just Respect
Rene Bourque and Ray Bourque are not related by blood or marriage. They are just two hockey players who share a common surname and a passion for the game. They have different backgrounds, careers and achievements, but they also have some similarities. They both played as right wingers, wore number 17 and won bronze medals with Canada.
Rene has expressed his admiration for Ray and his legacy. He once said: “He’s one of the best players ever to play the game. I grew up watching him play and I have a lot of respect for him.”
Ray has also praised Rene for his talent and character. He once said: “He’s a great kid. He works hard, he plays hard, he’s got a lot of skill.”
Rene Bourque and Ray Bourque may not be related, but they are both hockey stars who have made their mark on the sport.
