Home / News / Chris Bourque’s jersey retirement with Hershey Bears included shoutouts from Jay Beagle and Mathieu Perreault

Chris Bourque’s jersey retirement with Hershey Bears included shoutouts from Jay Beagle and Mathieu Perreault

By Ian Oland

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January 16, 2023 3:44 pm

The Hershey Bears retired Chris Bourque’s number 17 on January 14, 2023, before its game against the Springfield Thunderbirds. The Bears would go on to win later that night 6-2 after getting goals from top prospects Hendrix Lapierre and Connor McMichael.

The Hershey Bears went all out to celebrate Bourque that night, giving all fans mini banners as they entered Giant Center and holding a touching 30-minute pregame ceremony that included all of Bourque’s family in attendance.

“The best years of my life were playing in Hershey,” Bourque said. “I’ve had so many nights in Hershey that will be with me forever. Tonight is one of those nights.”

During the ceremony, Bourque got video shoutouts from a bunch of his former Bears and Capitals teammates including Jay Beagle, Mathieu Perreault, Keith Aucoin, Alexandre Giroux, Andrew Gordon, Eric Fehr, and Karl Alzner.

Beagle, recording his congrats from a frozen tundra somewhere in Canada (or Narnia) that had a shed in the background, became the first player in hockey history to win championships in the ECHL, AHL, and NHL. Beagle played parts of four seasons in Hershey from 2007 through 2011.

“Hey, Bourqie, just wanted to say congrats on a great career and having your jersey retired tonight,” Beagle said in a video provided to RMNB from the Bears. “You’re one of the best players I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing with. I’ll always have a lot of memories, great memories of playing with you, but I think the one that stands out for me is that time you smiled at me. Something I’ll never forget. Enjoy tonight, I hope you’re smiling tonight. I love you. No diggity.”

Perreault spent three seasons with the Hershey Bears from 2009 through 2011 and won back-to-back championships with Bourque in 2010 and 2011.

“I wanted to congratulate you, first, on an amazing career, but to get your jersey retired in Hershey,” Perreault said. “What an amazing accomplishment. You’re so well deserved for that. When I think of you, the first thing I think of is those two years that we won the Calder Cup together. I found this hat that I wear today. Those two years were the two most fun I had playing hockey my entire career and you were a big part of that.

“Thank you for these two bad boys that I found as well in my boxes,” Perreault added while holding up his Bears’ championship rings. “You were a big part of that team and I wouldn’t have them without you.”

“When I first turned pro and came to Hershey, you were one of the guys that really took me under his wings, showed me the ropes, and for that, I will always be thankful. You’re one of the guys I looked up to even though you’re a lot shorter than me. I still looked up to you. What a great teammate you were and I miss you, brother.”

Bourque was originally drafted in the second round, 33rd overall, by the Washington Capitals in the 2004 NHL Draft – the same event that saw the Caps pick Alex Ovechkin first overall. The son of one of the greatest defensemen of all time, Ray Bourque, Chris had big expectations. And while he didn’t reach the same heights as his dad in the NHL, in a lot of ways, what he accomplished is just as impressive while under that massive spotlight.

“My dad Ray had a huge influence on me and made it very easy to fall in love with the game of hockey,” Chris said during the ceremony, moving his father to tears. “Seeing him hoist the Stanley Cup as a kid is one of the proudest moments of my life.”

Bourque played 13 professional seasons in the AHL, playing 794 games with the Portland Pirates, Hershey Bears, Providence Bruins, Hartford Wolf Pack, and Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Bourque retired with the 20th-most points in AHL history (746), registering the 12th most assists (495) and the 40th most goals (251). He retired with the most assists in Calder Cup playoff history with 82. He was the AHL MVP during the 2015-16 season after scoring 80 points (30g, 50a) in 72 games

Bourque spent nine seasons with Hershey, winning three Calder Cup championships (2006, 2009, 2010) with the team and being named postseason MVP in 2010. The Bears’ 2009-10 team could be the greatest AHL team in the league’s history. The Bears won 60 games and had a 24-game home winning streak — both AHL records.

“My favorite Bourque memory was when we played together on the championship team that won in Winnipeg (2009),” Andrew Gordon, a former RMNB blogger, said. “We were on the same line and going through that playoff run with me, you, and Willie playing together, playing some big minutes, making big plays, and the excitement you got when we made a big play or scored a big goal, it was electric. You were always leading the team in some way or another with your passion, making plays, or scoring goals. I was always trying to learn from you even though you were a little bit younger.”

“Congratulations on your special night,” Keith Aucoin (a sometimes RMNB contributor) said. “Nobody deserves it more. You did a lot of great things for the organization. Won some championships and I was lucky enough to be a part of two of them. I’ll always remember you coming over to my apartment with food for a pregame meal every day, zucchini and eggs was your favorite I believe. Sitting on the bench after a power-play goal and telling me that I don’t pass you the puck enough. So that was always a fun thing to deal with after a power-play goal.”

“It was an honor playing with you, being your roommate and teammate for those years,” Alexandre Giroux, the fifth AHL player ever to score 60 goals in a season, said. “I was lucky enough to be on the power play with you. Obviously, you made everyone better around you. All those years in Hershey was a great time.”

While Bourque played in a record-tying six AHL All-Star Games (2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) and was a first-team AHL All-Star three different times, he found more joy in the more subtle things, like playing parts of two seasons (2015-2017) with his younger brother.

“Playing with Ryan was one of the greatest joys I had professionally,” Chris said.

“Growing up with Chris as my older brother shaped my identity,” Ryan said. “He challenged me, he inspired me, he messed with me a lot. I am five years younger than Chris but every day I was trying to keep up with him.

“As Bears fans know, Chris is the most competitive person I’ve ever encountered,” he added. “I don’t think I beat him in anything for the first 12 years of my life. Chris loves to win and he did a lot of that in Hershey.”

To mark the occasion, the Hershey Bears presented Bourque with a five-pound chocolate bar and a framed jersey that included a handpainted illustration of him holding the Calder Cup Trophy over his head.

Photo: Kyle Mace/Hershey Bears

The current Bears team honored Bourque by wearing his retro Hershey jersey which included his number 17 on the back. The team auctioned them off for charity after the game.

Photo: Katie Fri/Hershey Bears

The league brought all of the trophies Chris won during his prestigious career so he could pose with them.

Bourque, along with his two children Kingston and Harlow, participated in the ceremonial puck drop at center ice with Dylan McIlrath and Matthew Peca. During his speech, Chris said of his two kids that “there was no better treat than looking into the crowd and seeing you at my games.” He looked forward to returning the favor to them during his retirement.

Photo: Katie Fri/Hershey Bears

Bourque is now officially the eighth player to have his number retired by the Hershey Bears.

Before leaving Giant Center that night, he did share this one last piece of advice to the 2022-23 Hershey Bears team.

“Hershey was the most important place in my career and it will always have a special place in my heart,” Bourque said. “To all the current members of the Chocolate and White, wear the jersey with pride.”

Headline photo: Kyle Mace/Hershey Bears

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