Gabriel Bourque
Bourque with the Nashville Predators in 2014
Born (1990-09-23) September 23, 1990 (age 33)
Rimouski, Quebec, Canada
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 206 lb (93 kg; 14 st 10 lb)
Position Forward
Shoots Left
AHL team
Former teams		 Laval Rocket
Nashville Predators
Colorado Avalanche
Winnipeg Jets
NHL Draft 132nd overall, 2009
Nashville Predators
Playing career 2010–present

Gabriel Bourque (born September 23, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently under contract with the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL). He was selected by the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the fifth round (132nd overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He has also played for the Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets

Playing career

Early career

As a youth, Bourque played in the 2003 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Baie-Comeau Petit Drakkar minor ice hockey team.[1]

Bourque began his major junior ice hockey career with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar during the 2007–08 season. In his final season of junior, Bourque was traded to the Moncton Wildcats on December 19, 2009.[2] The Wildcats won the President's Cup by defeating the Saint John Sea Dogs in six games. Bourque was awarded the Guy Lafleur Trophy as playoff MVP, where he recorded 19 goals and 29 points.[3]

Professional career

Nashville Predators

Bourque was selected by the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the fifth round, 132nd overall during the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.[4] On April 15, 2010, the Predators signed Bourque to a three-year, entry level contract.[citation needed] Bourque spent his first professional season with the Predators' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals. He played in 78 games with the Admirals, scoring 18 goals and 36 points.[5] In his first playoff game with the Admirals, Bourque tied a team-record five points in a playoff game versus the Texas Stars.[6]

Bourque played his first NHL game on December 28, 2011 against the Minnesota Wild and scored his first NHL career goal on January 5, 2012 against the Dallas Stars.[7] On April 11, 2012, Bourque scored his first NHL Stanley Cup playoffs goal when the Predators beat the Detroit Red Wings in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarter-Finals.[8] He finished his rookie year with seven goals and 19 points in 43 games. He signed a two-year contract extension with the Predators on September 14, 2012.[9] The following season, the NHL was shut down due to a lockout and Bourque began the season with Milwaukee. He suffered a knee injury in the AHL and was still going through rehab when the lockout ended. Bourque managed to get into 34 games with the Predators, scoring 11 goals and 16 points before re-injuring the same leg and ending his season. He played on a line with Patric Hornqvist and David Legwand.[10] During the 2014–15 season, Bourque had three goals and 13 points in 69 games. As a restricted free agent at season's end, he accepted his qualifying offer of a one-year contract.[11] In his fifth season within the Predators organization in 2015–16, Bourque was limited to just 22 games due to illness and injury. He was assigned to Milwaukee to recover from his injury on February 16.[12] As a restricted free agent at the end of the season, Bourque was not tendered a qualifying offer to remain in Nashville, releasing him to free agency.[13]

Colorado Avalanche

Unable to attain an NHL contract over the off-season, Bourque agreed to attend the Colorado Avalanche training camp on a professional try-out contract on September 1, 2016.[14] After a successful training camp and preseason, Bourque agreed to a contract with the Avalanche in signing a one-year, two-way deal on October 10, 2016.[4] Bourque was placed on waivers and went unclaimed.[13] Bourque split the 2016–17 season between Colorado[15] and the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL.[16] He spent the majority of the season with San Antonio, scoring 33 points in 61 games and getting into only six games with the Avalanche. On July 18, 2017, the Avalanche re-signed Bourque to a one-year extension.[17] Bourque played 58 games for the Avalanche, recording five goals and 11 points. On May 24, 2018, the Avalanche re-signed Bourque to a one-year, $950,000 extension.[18] A key penalty killer for the Avalanche, he appeared in 55 games scoring two goals and eight points in the 2018–19 season.[19]

Winnipeg Jets

On August 26, 2019, Bourque signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Winnipeg Jets.[19] In the 2019–20 season, Bourque made the opening night roster for the Jets out of training camp in a fourth-line specialist role. Bourque scored his first goal with the Jets in a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on November 1, 2019.[20] He missed four weeks due to a lower-body injury beginning in November.[21] He returned December 10 in a 5–1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.[22] On February 6, 2020, Bourque played in his 400th NHL game, a 4–2 win over the St. Louis Blues.[23]

Later years

As a free agent from the Jets, Bourque was without a club for the entirety of the pandemic-delayed 2020–21 season. He returned to the professional ranks, in securing a one-year AHL contract with the Laval Rocket, the affiliate to the Montreal Canadiens on June 12, 2021.[24] On July 17, 2022, Bourque was re-signed by the Rocket to a one-year contract extension.[25] Bourque signed another one-year contract with Laval on July 12, 2023.[26] He was named the fourth captain in Laval's history on October 9, 2023.[27]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2005–06 Jonquière Élites QMAAA 2 0 2 2 0 — — — — —
2006–07 Collège Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur QMAAA 43 15 35 50 115 13 8 16 24 14
2007–08 Baie-Comeau Drakkar QMJHL 65 10 18 28 38 5 0 0 0 0
2008–09 Baie-Comeau Drakkar QMJHL 60 22 39 61 82 5 0 2 2 16
2009–10 Baie-Comeau Drakkar QMJHL 30 13 25 38 61 — — — — —
2009–10 Moncton Wildcats QMJHL 25 3 11 14 37 21 19 10 29 18
2010–11 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 78 18 18 36 19 13 7 6 13 4
2011–12 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 25 2 14 16 23 — — — — —
2011–12 Nashville Predators NHL 43 7 12 19 6 10 3 2 5 4
2012–13 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 15 7 5 12 4 — — — — —
2012–13 Nashville Predators NHL 34 11 5 16 4 — — — — —
2013–14 Nashville Predators NHL 74 9 17 26 8 — — — — —
2014–15 Nashville Predators NHL 69 3 10 13 10 5 0 0 0 2
2015–16 Nashville Predators NHL 22 1 3 4 18 — — — — —
2015–16 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 4 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2016–17 Colorado Avalanche NHL 6 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2016–17 San Antonio Rampage AHL 61 10 23 33 20 — — — — —
2017–18 San Antonio Rampage AHL 5 1 1 2 4 — — — — —
2017–18 Colorado Avalanche NHL 58 5 6 11 12 6 2 0 2 0
2018–19 Colorado Avalanche NHL 55 2 6 8 10 12 1 0 1 2
2019–20 Winnipeg Jets NHL 52 2 4 6 7 3 0 0 0 0
2021–22 Laval Rocket AHL 67 11 17 28 59 14 2 2 4 4
2022–23 Laval Rocket AHL 66 14 17 31 26 2 0 0 0 0
NHL totals 413 40 63 103 75 36 6 2 8 8
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place 2010 Saskatoon

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2010 Canada WJC 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 6 3 6 9 4
Junior totals 6 3 6 9 4

Awards and honours

Award Year
QMJHL
Guy Lafleur Trophy 2010

References

  1. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  2. ^ "Wildcats Acquire Gabriel Bourque". OurSports Central. December 19, 2009. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  3. ^ "Wildcats claim second President Cup title". Moncton Wildcats. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Avalanche signs Gabriel and Rene Bourque". Colorado Avalanche. October 10, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2016 – via NHL.com.
  5. ^ "Admirals' Bourque is finding his way". Moncton Wildcats. April 26, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  6. ^ Boehler, Dave (April 14, 2011). "Bourque, Mueller lead way for Admirals in series opener". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  7. ^ "Predators sign '09 Draftee's Bourque and Roussel". Nashville Predators. April 15, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2011 – via NHL.com.
  8. ^ "Gabriel Bourque scores twice, Predators take Game 1". ESPN. April 11, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  9. ^ "Predators sign Gabriel Bourque". CBC Sports. Associated Press. September 14, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  10. ^ Albert, Hugues (June 21, 2013). "La santé, le souhait le plus cher de Gabriel Bourque" [Health, Gabriel Bourque’s dearest wish]. infodimache (in French). Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  11. ^ "Predators sign forward Gabriel Bourque to one-year contract". ESPN. Associated Press. July 2, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  12. ^ Curtis, Cory (February 17, 2016). "Predators assign Gabriel Bourque to Milwaukee". WRKN News. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Frei, Terry (October 10, 2016). "Both (unrelated) Bourques, Rene and Gabriel, relieved to sign one-year deals with Colorado Avalanche". Denver Post. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  14. ^ "Bourque accepts try-out offer from Colorado". Nashville Post. September 1, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2016.[dead link]
  15. ^ "Avalanche's Gabriel Bourque: Reassigned to AHL on Monday". CBS Sports. October 31, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  16. ^ Frei, Terry (December 1, 2016). "Sam Henley, Gabriel Bourque jump right into Avalanche lineup against Columbus". Denver Post. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  17. ^ "Colorado Avalanche, Gabriel Bourque agree to one-year deal". Sportsnet. July 18, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  18. ^ "Avalanche re-sign F Bourque on one-year deal". TSN. May 24, 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  19. ^ a b "Jets sign Gabriel Bourque to a one-year contract". Winnipeg Jets. Retrieved August 26, 2019 – via NHL.com.
  20. ^ "Hellebuyck's 51 Saves Lead Jets Past Sharks 3-2". CBS News. Associated Press. November 1, 2019. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  21. ^ "Jets' Gabriel Bourque out at least four weeks with lower-body injury". Sportsnet. November 7, 2019. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  22. ^ Owen, Judy (December 10, 2019). "Blake Wheeler sparks offence, Jets hand Red Wings 12th straight loss". CBC Sports. The Canadian Press. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  23. ^ "Hellebuyck makes 35 saves to lead Jets over Blues". Sportsnet. Associated Press. February 6, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  24. ^ @RocketLaval (June 11, 2021). "The Laval Rocket announced on Friday that the team has agreed to terms on a one-year AHL contract (2021-22) with Quebec-born forward Gabriel Bourque" (Tweet). Retrieved June 12, 2021 – via Twitter.
  25. ^ "Rocket agree to terms on a one-year one-way AHL contract with Gabriel Bourque". Laval Rocket. July 17, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  26. ^ "Rocket Agree to Terms on a One-year, One-way AHL contract with Forward Gabriel Bourque". Laval Rocket. July 12, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  27. ^ "Gabriel Bourque devient le 4e capitaine de l'histoire". La Presse (in French). October 9, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.

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