When the Flyers-Bears alumni game was announced as part of the Hershey Outdoor Classic, it seemed to be a bit of a mismatch. An NHL team with a storied history against their former AHL affiliate. Something had to be up their sleeves, right?
Well, here it is. Hockey Hall of Famer Ray Bourque will play for the Hershey Bears in the Outdoor Classic Alumni Game. While Bourque never played for either the Bears nor the Flyers, both of his sons, Chris Bourque and Ryan Bourque, have played in Hershey. Chris, a current Bear, is considered one of the franchise’s greatest players of all time and was named to the 2018 United States Olympic team. Ryan played for Hershey for parts of the past two years before signing with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers this season.
Ray Bourque is considered one of the best NHL defensemen ever. Bourque won the Norris Trophy, given to the league’s best defenseman, five times and, last year, was named one of the 100 greatest players in NHL history.
January 19, Bourque will lace up his skates alongside former Bears such as Nick Kypreos and Quintin Laing to take on Danny Briere, John LeClair, Eric Lindros and the rest of the Flyers alumni.
Along with announcing Bourque’s participation, the Bears also unveiled the uniforms for the event.
👀 Here's what the jerseys for the @capbluecross Alumni Game will look like for the Bears Alumni and @FlyersAlumni! They will be auctioned off post-game for charity. #HBH pic.twitter.com/oatSQCN4LN
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) January 9, 2018
Each team’s colors pop, while the matching uniform designs will surely make the alumni game a pleasing game to watch aesthetically.
Here’s more from the Bears:
(Hershey, PA- January 9, 2018)-The Hershey Bears have announced that Hockey Hall of Fame member Ray Bourque will play in the 2018 Capital BlueCross Alumni Game, set to take place on Friday, Jan. 19 at Hersheypark Stadium. The Bears also announced updated rosters for the Alumni Game today, and Bourque will skate for the Hershey Bears Alumni as they battle the Philadelphia Flyers Alumni Association as part of the 2018 Capital BlueCross Outdoor Classic.
Bourque is widely considered as one of the best defenders in the history of the National Hockey League, and holds the record for most career goals, assists, and points by a blue liner. The long-time Boston Bruin won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defender five times, and claimed the Stanley Cup as a member of the Colorado Avalanche in 2001.
While he never played for the Bears, the Bourque name has been synonymous with Hershey. Ray, the father of Hershey forward Chris, and former Bear Ryan, has been a long-time supporter of the Bears, and will skate alongside some of Hershey’s all-time greats, including several of Chris’ former teammates
The Flyers Alumni Association will ice a team that features the famed ‘Legion of Doom’ line of Hockey Hall of Fame member Eric Lindros, John LeClair, and Mikael Renberg. Recent stars Danny Briere and Kimmo Timonen will also play, as well as members from the Flyers 1974 and 1975 Stanley Cup Championship teams.
The Bears also unveiled the jerseys which will be worn by the Bears Alumni and the Flyers Alumni Association for the special event. The Alumni Game will feature two halves. At the intermission, the two teams will swap jerseys, with one team donning white sweaters, while the other switches to dark. Both the dark and light Bears and Flyers Alumni jerseys will be auctioned off to benefit the Hospice of Central Pennsylvania, the American Cancer Society, and the charitable causes of the Philadelphia Flyers Alumni Association.
Headline Image: @TheHersheyBears
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