Rene Bourque (born December 10, 1981 in Lac La
Biche, Alberta) is a professional ice hockey left
winger who currently plays for the Chicago
Blackhawks of the NHL. He is the first cousin of
North American Native Boxing Champion Wayne Bourque.
Rene Bourque played junior hockey with the St.
Albert Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League,
where he made the All-Rookie team, and played
college hockey at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison.
Bourque played for the Norfolk Admirals of the
American Hockey League in 2004-05, the season of the
NHL lockout. Bourque set a franchise record for most
goals scored, with 33, and also led the team with 27
assists and 60 points. He played for the Canadian
team in the AHL All-Star Classic on February 9,
2005, and won the hardest shot contest at the AHL
All-Star Skills Competition with a slapshot measured
at 99.8 mph. Bourque was named to the 2005 AHL
All-Rookie Team, and won the Dudley "Red" Garrett
Memorial Award as the AHL's outstanding rookie.
Bourque was never drafted in the NHL Entry Draft,
and he was signed by Chicago on July 29, 2004.
On November 12, 2006 in a game against the Columbus
Blue Jackets, Bourque left the game late in the
second period after being accidentally cut in the
neck by Columbus' right wing Nikolai Zherdev's skate
blade during a pileup in the Blackhawks' crease.
Bourque was listed in stable condition when he was
taken on a stretcher, to The University of Chicago
Hospital. The next day, it was announced, Bourque
would be expected to miss three to six weeks after
undergoing surgery to repair the deep laceration to
his neck.
In an interview on dailysouthtown.com, it was
revealed that the blade had cut through a neck
muscle and gouged Bourque's jugular vein, coming
very close to ending the life of the 2-year veteran.
Battling various injuries, Bourque continued to play
out the remainder of the 2006-2007 NHL season.
Finishing with 7 goals 10 assists for 17 points in
44 games.
