Chris Bourque signs with Bridgeport, reunited with brother Ryan
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers announced Monday afternoon former Hershey Bears forward Chris Bourque has agreed to an American Hockey League contract for the 2018-19 season.
The 32-year-old former Olympian joins his brother Ryan, another former Bear, in Bridgeport after the younger of the two brothers also signed a contract with the Sound Tigers earlier in the day as well.
Hershey will faceoff against the Sound Tigers six times this season, splitting a three home, three road game series throughout the 76 game schedule.
Press release:
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers, proud AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders, announced Monday that forward Chris Bourque has agreed to terms on an American Hockey League contract.
Bourque, 32, is a three-time Calder Cup champion (2006, 2009, 2010) and six-time AHL All-Star – tied for the most ever. He is tied for 24th on the league’s all-time scoring list with 692 points (236 goals, 456 assists) in 722 games between the Bears, Wolf Pack, Providence Bruins and Portland Pirates. The 5’8, 175-pound forward also ranks 15th all-time in assists and is the AHL’s active scoring leader. He received the Les Cunningham Award, given to the AHL’s MVP, in 2015-16 and captured two scoring titles (2011-12, 2015-16).
In addition to his regular-season success, Bourque is the AHL’s all-time leader in playoff assists (82), ranks fourth in points (117) and second in games played (133). Bourque won the Jack Butterfield Trophy, as the postseason MVP (2010). Bourque was chosen to represent the United States of America at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea where he scored two assists in five games.
Bourque spent each of the last three seasons with Hershey and led the team in scoring last year, collecting 53 points (17 goals, 36 assists) in 64 games. He was initially selected by the Washington Capitals in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2004 NHL Draft. He has eight points (two goals and six assists) in 51 combined games with the Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins.
