Gabriel Bourque

Lore & Background

Bourque began his major junior career with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the QMJHL in 2007–08. In his final junior season, he was traded to the Moncton Wildcats on December 19, 2009, and helped the team win the President's Cup, earning the Guy Lafleur Trophy as playoff MVP with 19 goals and 29 points. He was drafted by the Nashville Predators in 2009 and signed an entry-level contract in April 2010, spending his first professional season with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, where he tied a team record with five points in a playoff game.

Bourque made his NHL debut on December 28, 2011, and scored his first NHL goal on January 5, 2012. He played parts of five seasons with the Predators, also spending time with the Colorado Avalanche after signing a one-year, two-way deal in October 2016. With the Avalanche, he became a key penalty killer and was re-signed twice. On August 26, 2019, he signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Winnipeg Jets, making the opening night roster in a fourth-line specialist role. He scored his first Jets goal on November 1, 2019, and played his 400th NHL game on February 6, 2020.

After leaving the Jets, Bourque was without a contract for the 2020–21 season before signing an AHL contract with the Laval Rocket in June 2021. He was named the fourth captain in Laval's history on October 9, 2023, and retired from professional hockey in October 2024.

Reader's Guide

Gabriel Bourque's NHL career spanned nine seasons across three organizations, defined by his role as a depth forward and penalty killer. His most productive NHL season came in his rookie year with the Predators, when he recorded seven goals and 19 points in 43 games, including his first playoff goal. Injuries and illness limited his later seasons in Nashville, and he was not tendered a qualifying offer after the 2015–16 season. He revived his career with the Colorado Avalanche, where he played 58 games in one season and became a trusted penalty killer, earning two contract extensions. His tenure with the Winnipeg Jets was brief but included a milestone: his 400th NHL game. Bourque's professional career concluded after three seasons as captain of the Laval Rocket in the AHL, where he was named the fourth captain in the team's history. His legacy is that of a hard-working, defensively reliable winger who carved out a long professional career after being a fifth-round draft pick.

Did You Know?

• Bourque played in the 2003 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Baie-Comeau Petit Drakkar.
• He tied a Milwaukee Admirals team record with five points in a playoff game against the Texas Stars.
• Bourque scored his first NHL goal on January 5, 2012, against the Dallas Stars.
• He was named the fourth captain in Laval Rocket history on October 9, 2023.