Ray Bourque - Retirement

Retirement

Bourque was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004, the first season he was eligible. His uniform number #77 has been retired by both the Bruins and the Avalanche; he is one of only six players (Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Patrick Roy) whose jersey has been retired by more than one club. His birthplace of Saint-Laurent named the Aréna Raymond-Bourque in his honour.

He still lives in the Boston area with his wife Christianne, remaining active in several local charities, and was named a Boston Bruins team consultant on November 3, 2005. He is also the co-owner of an Italian restaurant called Tresca in Boston's North End.

His elder son, Christopher, was drafted by the Washington Capitals in 2004. Christopher is a well-regarded prospect who subsequently turned professional, playing for the Hershey Bears in the 2007 season and making his NHL debut for the Capitals in 2007. Chris then joined the Boston Bruins, his father's former team, on May 26, 2012. His younger son, Ryan, was a 3rd round draft choice by the New York Rangers in 2009, and was a member of the USA's 2010 gold-medal World Junior Championship team, earning three assists during the tournament. Ryan plays junior hockey for the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL who are coached by Raymond's old teammate Patrick Roy and was an alternate captain for the USA's 2011 World Junior Championship team, in which he again earned three assists as the team won the bronze medal.