Gabriel Bourque
Gabriel Bourque is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. He was selected in the fifth round, 132nd overall, by the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League in the 2009 NHL entry draft. Bourque also previously played for the Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets.
Playing career
Early years
As a youth, Bourque played in the 2003 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Baie-Comeau Petit Drakkar minor ice hockey team.Junior
Bourque began his major junior ice hockey career with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League during the 2007–08 season. In his final season of junior, Bourque was traded to the Moncton Wildcats on December 19, 2009. The Wildcats won the President's Cup by defeating the Saint John Sea Dogs in six games. Bourque was awarded the Guy Lafleur Trophy as playoff MVP, where he recorded 19 goals and 29 points.Professional
Nashville Predators
Bourque was selected by the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League in the fifth round, 132nd overall during the 2009 NHL entry draft. On April 15, 2010, the Predators signed Bourque to a three-year, entry-level contract. Bourque spent his first professional season with the Predators' American Hockey League affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals. He played in 78 games with the Admirals, scoring 18 goals and 36 points. In his first playoff game with the Admirals, Bourque tied a team-record five points in a playoff game versus the Texas Stars.Bourque played his first NHL game on December 28, 2011 against the Minnesota Wild and scored his first NHL career goal on January 5, 2012 against the Dallas Stars. On April 11, 2012, Bourque scored his first NHL Stanley Cup playoffs goal when the Predators beat the Detroit Red Wings in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarter-Finals. He finished his rookie year with seven goals and 19 points in 43 games. He signed a two-year contract extension with the Predators on September 14, 2012. The following season, the NHL was shut down due to a lockout and Bourque began the season with Milwaukee. He suffered a knee injury in the AHL and was still going through rehab when the lockout ended. Bourque managed to get into 34 games with the Predators, scoring 11 goals and 16 points before re-injuring the same leg and ending his season. He played on a line with Patric Hornqvist and David Legwand. During the 2014–15 season, Bourque had three goals and 13 points in 69 games. As a restricted free agent at season's end, he accepted his qualifying offer of a one-year contract. In his fifth season within the Predators organization in 2015–16, Bourque was limited to just 22 games due to illness and injury. He was assigned to Milwaukee to recover from his injury on February 16. As a restricted free agent at the end of the season, Bourque was not tendered a qualifying offer to remain in Nashville, releasing him to free agency.