Eurolanche

Avs sign Gabriel And Rene Bourque

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has signed forwards Gabriel Bourque and Rene Bourque each to a one-year contract for the 2016-17 season. 

Gabriel Bourque, 26, and Rene Bourque, 34, both joined the Avalanche as professional tryouts (PTO) last month.  Rene shared the team scoring lead this preseason with four points (1g/3a) in five exhibition games, while Gabriel added one assist (0g/1a) in four contests.  Selected by Nashville in the fifth round (132nd overall) of the 2009 Entry Draft, Gabriel Bourque had spent his entire career with the Predators, recording 78 points (31g/47a) in 242 career NHL games.  He also dressed in 15 career playoff contests for the Preds, notching five points (3g/2a). 

A native of Rimouski, Quebec, Bourque appeared in 22 games for the Predators during the 2015-16 season, tallying four points (1g/3a).  He missed 48 contests due to an upper-body injury suffered on Nov. 27, 2015 at Philadelphia.  Bourque finished second on the Predators with 11 goals during the shortened 2012-13 campaign and went on to record a career-best 26 points (9g/17a) in 74 games with Nashville the following year in 2013-14.  He made his NHL debut in 2011-12, tallying 19 points (7g/12a) in 43 games. 

Prior to turning pro, the 5-foot-10, 206-pound right wing helped the Moncton Wildcats capture the 2010 President's Cup as Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champions.  Now entering his 12th NHL season, Rene Bourque has tallied 298 points (151g/147a) in 660 career NHL games with Chicago, Calgary, Montreal, Anaheim and Columbus.  He has also picked up 15 points (11g/4a) in 27 playoff contests.  The 6-foot-2, 217-pound right wing dressed in 49 games for the Blue Jackets last season, registering eight points (3g/5a).  Originally signed by Chicago as a non-drafted free agent on July 29, 2004, Bourque tallied 34 points (16g/18a) in 77 games as a rookie with the Blackhawks in 2005-06. 

He produced three straight 20-goal campaigns with the Flames from 2008-11, which included back-to-back 27-goal seasons in 2009-10 and 2010-11.  The Lac La Biche, Alberta, native helped the Montreal Canadiens to the Eastern Conference Final in 2013-14, notching a team-leading eight goals (8g/3a) in 17 playoff games that spring.  After a four-year collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin (2000-04), Bourque won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Trophy as the American Hockey League's rookie of the year with the Norfolk Admirals in 2004-05.

-- Avalanche Press Release --