3. Ray Bourque

Published in Top 50 Boston Bruins
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This was really hard.

Ray Bourque was one of the best defencemen of his time, and it was a long time! Bourque played the most games in Bruins history, has the most Points in Bruins history, and leads the franchise in many more statistical categories.

This is a great player and a legitimate first-ballot Hall of Famer (which he was). This is a multi-time Norris Trophy winner and a twelve-time First Team All-Star (as a Bruin). This man was so loved that the city of Boston celebrated Bourque’s win with the Colorado Avalanche, which netted him his first and only Stanley Cup Ring.

So why number three?

Unlike Orr and Shore, Ray Bourque was never believed to be the best player in the National Hockey League, and did not take his team to a Stanley Cup win (in Boston).

Still, if you want to tell us why he should be number two (or even number one), we would definitely listen.

The Hall came calling for Bourque in 2004, three years after the Bruins hung his number 77 into the rafters.

The Bullet Points

Position: Defence
Acquired: Drafted in the 1st Round, 8th Overall, 1979.
Departed: Traded to the Colorado Avalanche with Dave Andreychuk for Brian Rolston, Martin Grenier, Samuel Pahlsson and New Jersey’s First Round Pick (which would be Martin Samuelsson) 3/6/00.
Games Played: 1518
Notable Statistics: 395 Goals
1,111 Assists
1,506 Points
1,087 PIM
+493 Plus/Minus
.99 PPG
229.2 Point Shares

180 Playoff Games
36 Goals
125 Assists
161 Points
+14 Plus/Minus
151 PIM
.89 PPG
Major Accolades and Awards: Norris Trophy (1987, 1988, 1990, 1991 & 1994)
Calder Trophy (1980)
King Clancy Memorial Trophy (1992)
First Team All-Star (1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 & 1996)
Second Team All-Star (1981, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1995 & 1999)
All-Star (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 & 2000)
Most Shots (1984, 1987 & 1995)
Most Defensive Point Shares (1984 & 1990)
Most Point Shares (1990)
NHL Player ID: 8445621
Notable Top Ten Finishes: Top Ten Hart Trophy Finishes:
5th in 1984, 5th in 1985, 10th in 1986, 2nd in 1987, 8th in 1988, 2nd in 1990, 4th in 1991 & 6th in 1994.
Top Ten Norris Trophy Finishes:
4th in 1980, 4th in 1981, 2nd in 1982, 3rd in 1983, 3rd in 1984, 2nd in 1985, 4th in 1986, 1st in 1987, 1st in 1988, 4th in 1989, 1st in 1990, 1st in 1991, 2nd in 1992, 2nd in 1993, 1st in 1994, 3rd in 1995, 2nd in 1996, 7th in 1997, 7th in 1998, 3rd in 1999 & 7th in 2000*.
Top Ten Lady Byng Trophy Finishes:
8th in 1987, 8th in 1994, 10th in 1997, 10th in 1998 & 9th in 1999.

*Bourque was traded to the Colorado Avalanche during the season.