Ray Bourque
Selected by Boston Bruins round 1 #8 overall 1979 NHL Entry Draft.
From Eddie Shore to Bobby Orr to Zdeno Chara, the Boston Bruins have always had one of the NHL's top rearguards patrolling their blue line. And while no one will dispute Orr as the greatest defenseman ever, Ray Bourque is not far behind.
Quietly, methodically, Raymond dazzled, racking up 65 points; the most for a rookie defenseman in NHL history up to that time. He was the obvious choice for the Calder Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year and also earned selection to the NHL's First All-Star Team; the first non-goaltender to win both honours in the same season. Though he too ranks as one of the greatest offensive defensemen ever, it was Bourque's defensive genius that set him aside from his peers.
In honour of his great contributions to hockey, both the Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche retired Ray's #77 jersey. In 2004, Ray Bourque was selected to join hockey's elite in the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
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If I remember correctly, I got the blue ink signed one IP in Niagara Falls at the NHLSloPitch tourney. The black sharpie one was in Hamilton at the 1991 Canada Cup. Met him in the hotel lobby and I had a handful of all his cards. He took them and said he would only sign one. I said that was fine and he proceeded to sign 5 in total.
That name and face looks familiar. I think I have watched him play once before.
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