Rene Bourque facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rene Bourque
Bourque with the Montreal Canadiens in 2012
Born	(1981-12-10) December 10, 1981 (age 43) Lac La Biche, Alberta, Canada
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	217 lb (98 kg; 15 st 7 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Chicago Blackhawks Calgary Flames Montreal Canadiens Anaheim Ducks Columbus Blue Jackets Colorado Avalanche Djurgårdens IF
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	Undrafted
Playing career	2004–2018

Rene Gary Wayne Bourque (born December 10, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played as a right winger in the National Hockey League (NHL). Rene was not chosen in the NHL draft, but the Chicago Blackhawks signed him as a free agent in 2004. He started his NHL career in the 2005–06 season.

After three years with Chicago, he moved to the Calgary Flames in 2008. There, he became a very important player for scoring goals. Later, he played for the Montreal Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Colorado Avalanche.

Rene Bourque went to the University of Wisconsin and played hockey there for four seasons. He was even a co-captain in his last year. He became a professional player in 2004 with the Norfolk Admirals in the American Hockey League (AHL). He won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the best rookie in the AHL in the 2004–05 season. Rene also played for the Canadian national team in the 2010 IIHF World Championship and the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Rene is from the Métis community in Canada. He has started many programs to help Indigenous children. These programs encourage them to play hockey and help families in Northern Alberta pay for the sport. His efforts have helped many Indigenous children get involved in sports.

Growing Up and Early Life

Rene Bourque was born on December 10, 1981. He spent his early childhood in Edmonton, Canada. His father, Gary, worked in the oil industry, and his mother, Barbara, was a social worker. Rene has a twin sister, Chantal, and two older twin sisters, Kim and Nadia.

His family moved back to Lac La Biche when he was seven. Rene's parents strongly supported his hockey dreams. After playing minor hockey in Fort McMurray, he went to the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Saskatchewan. He was a great student there.

Rene was asked to play for the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League (WHL). However, he chose not to join them. This was because playing in the WHL would have stopped him from playing for a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) school. Rene believed that getting an education was very important. He only thought about a hockey career after he earned a full scholarship to play at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. At Wisconsin, he studied Consumer Behavior and Business.

Hockey Journey: From College to the NHL

Junior, College, and Minor League Hockey

Instead of the WHL, Rene played one season of Junior A hockey with the St. Albert Saints. This kept him eligible for the NCAA. In the 1999–2000 season, he scored 44 goals and 81 points. He was named to the AJHL All-Rookie team. Even with his strong performance, no National Hockey League (NHL) team drafted him.

Rene then played four seasons for the Wisconsin Badgers college team. In the 2002–03 season, he led the Badgers in goals and points. He was named the team's most valuable player. He continued to lead the team in scoring in 2003–04. He also won an award for being the team's best student-athlete. In his final year, he was a co-captain.

After graduating, Rene signed with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 29, 2004. He was sent to their minor league team, the Norfolk Admirals, for the 2004–05 season. He set a team record with 33 goals and led the team with 60 points. He won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL's rookie of the year. He also made the AHL All-Rookie Team and played in the 2005 AHL All-Star Game.

Starting in the NHL: Chicago Blackhawks

Rene joined the Blackhawks for the 2005–06 season. He scored his first NHL goal in his very first game against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He finished his first season with 16 goals and 34 points. The Blackhawks then signed him to a two-year contract.

He had a tough season in 2006–07 because of injuries. He played in only 44 games. In November 2006, he had a serious neck injury from a skate during a game. He needed surgery and missed several weeks. Rene felt lucky the injury was not worse.

Soon after returning, he was injured again in December 2006 with a broken ankle. He missed almost two months. Injuries also affected him in 2007–08. He missed time with a groin injury and a broken thumb. Despite the injuries, he finished the season with 10 goals and 14 assists in 62 games.

Rene Bourque scored a career-high 27 goals and 58 points with the Flames in 2009–10.

Becoming a Star: Calgary Flames

On July 1, 2008, Rene was traded to the Calgary Flames. The Flames quickly signed him to a two-year contract. He had his best year yet in Calgary. He scored his first hat trick (three goals in one game) in December 2008. He missed the last two months of the season with an ankle injury. Even so, he scored 21 goals and 40 points, which were new career highs for him. He returned for the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Blackhawks. After the season, he had surgery on his ankle.

Rene continued to score for the Flames in 2009–10. He was leading the team in scoring when he was injured again in November. He returned after two weeks. He had a fantastic season, setting new career highs with 27 goals, 31 assists, and 58 points.

In February 2010, the Flames signed him to a six-year contract. They hoped he would be a top player for the team. He was known for his strong offense. He played in the 2011 Heritage Classic outdoor game, scoring two goals in a 4–0 win. He finished that season with 27 goals, second-most on the team.

The 2011–12 was a challenging one for Rene. He was criticized by a TV commentator for his effort. Rene was upset by the comments, and his teammates defended him. He was then suspended twice in one month for illegal hits. He received a two-game ban in December 2011 and a five-game ban in January 2012. This was his last game with the Flames.

New Teams: Montreal, Anaheim, Columbus, Colorado

Rene was traded to the Montreal Canadiens on January 12, 2012. He played for Montreal for a few seasons. His start to the 2012–13 season was delayed by an abdominal injury that needed surgery.

In November 2014, after not scoring any goals in 13 games, the Canadiens sent Rene to their minor league team, the Hamilton Bulldogs.

His time with the Canadiens ended when he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks on November 20, 2014. He played 30 games with the Ducks but only scored 2 goals.

Later that season, Rene was traded again to the Columbus Blue Jackets in March 2015. He was immediately sent to their minor league team, the Springfield Falcons. However, he was called back up to the Blue Jackets due to injuries on the team.

After his contract ended with the Blue Jackets, Rene became a free agent. He joined the Colorado Avalanche training camp in August 2016. After a good training camp, he signed a one-year contract for the 2016–17 season. He had a strong start with the Avalanche, scoring 8 goals in his first 19 games. He finished the season with 12 goals and 18 points in 65 games.

Playing in Sweden

On August 29, 2017, it was announced that Rene Bourque signed a one-year contract with Djurgårdens IF Hockey in the Swedish Hockey League. At 35 years old, he had finished his NHL career with 163 goals and 153 assists in 725 games. In Sweden, he had a good start, scoring 13 goals and 22 points in 35 games. He later had to leave the team because of his son's health. He announced that this would be his last season as a professional player.

Playing for Canada

Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
Olympic Games
Bronze	2018 Pyeongchang

After the 2009–10 season, Rene was invited to play for Team Canada at the 2010 IIHF World Championship. He scored one goal and one assist in seven games.

During the 2017–18 season, Rene was chosen to represent Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. He played an important role in scoring goals. He contributed 3 goals and 4 points in 6 games, helping Canada win the Bronze medal.

Helping Others Off the Ice

Rene Bourque has been involved in many charity efforts in Calgary and his hometown of Lac La Biche. He knows that growing up can be tough in small towns. That's why he started the Bourque Buddies charity. This program helps Métis children have something positive to look forward to.

Rene also created the Rene Bourque Hockey Fund. Its goal is to give hockey equipment to kids who might not be able to afford it. He has also spoken at youth events to encourage Indigenous children in sports. His fund donated 50 sets of equipment to children in Northern Alberta in 2008–09. By 2010–11, they had given out over 100 sets. In 2010–11, he also started "Bourque's Buddies." This program rewards kids from the Tsuu T'ina Nation who do good things in their schools with tickets to Flames games.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

International Play Statistics

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2010	Canada	WC	7th		7	1	1	2	14
2018	Canada	OG			6	3	1	4	2
Senior totals					13	4	2	6	16

Awards and Honours