| | Associated Press
|  | | Bourque rejuvenated his career after being traded from Boston to Colorado. |
DENVER -- Ray Bourque's impassioned quest for the Stanley
Cup will have a sequel in Colorado.
Bourque, traded to Colorado last season after more than 20 years
in Boston, passed up the chance to become an unrestricted free
agent July 1 and signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with
the Avalanche on Wednesday.
The decision came less than three weeks after Colorado and the
39-year-old defenseman were eliminated by the Dallas Stars in Game
7 of the Western Conference finals.
"I think there's some unfinished business in terms of getting
back to the Stanley Cup finals," Bourque said during a
teleconference from his Boston home. "I was real happy with
everything that went on during my stay in Colorado. When the season
ended, I was hoping and thinking that things might work out this
way, and I'm very happy they did."
Bourque, who made $6 million last year, has an option for a
second season with Colorado, but he was not ready to commit to
playing two more years in the NHL.
|
BOURQUE WITH AVS
|
|
|
GP
|
G
|
A
|
PTS
|
+/-
|
|
Reg. season
|
14
|
8
|
6
|
14
|
9
|
|
Playoffs
|
13
|
1
|
8
|
9
|
4
|
"We'll play next year and hopefully everything goes well and
then we'll see," he said. "The possibility's there. We'll just
see where we are after next year."
With 1,490 points, including 403 goals, Bourque is a logical
selection for the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004 if he retires after
the 2000-01 season -- Cup or no Cup. Those credentials made Bourque
Colorado's top offseason priority.
"The minute he showed the interest, we decided to discuss
seriously with him," Avs general manager Pierre Lacroix said. "We
can't deny the fact that Ray has brought a lot to our team. You
know what you're getting with Ray Bourque, so it's got to be one of
the most important things."
Drafted by Boston in 1979, Bourque played in the Stanley Cup
finals in 1988 and 1990 but requested a trade last spring when it
became apparent the Bruins were not going to reach championship
status in the near future.
The Bruins accommodated the 18-time All-Star, sending him and
forward Dave Andreychuk to Colorado on March 6. The Avalanche went
11-2-1 in the final 14 regular-season games with Bourque but could
not fulfill his dream of winning the Stanley Cup.
"My goal is to get to the ultimate prize and I think we have a
very good opportunity to get there," Bourque said. "That's very
exciting for a player coming into a season where you know things
should go well for you as a team."
The chance to win the Cup and Bourque's comfort level with
Colorado outweighed his desire to play closer to the East Coast.
Bourque said returning to the Bruins never was a serious
consideration, and his wife, Christiane, will live with him in
Colorado next season while his two oldest children attend high
school in Massachusetts.
"I always knew no matter where you end up or what's your
situation, you make it work," Bourque said. "Obviously being
closer at some point would have been nice, but we all knew that may
or may not happen. The way it worked out, my family came out to
Colorado and really enjoyed it."
Colorado still has several decisions to make in the coming
months as high-profile players such as captain Joe Sakic, forwards
Adam Deadmarsh and Chris Drury and defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh
become eligible for free agency. Lacroix would not address any
other contract talks Wednesday.
"In five years in this market, our goal has always been the
same: To give the fans an exciting and very competitive product,"
he said. "Our intention for next year is the same. Nothing has
changed. We're going to go after our business, and if we can
improve the team in any phase, we'll do it." | |
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