Bourque's Quebec Remparts defeated the Gatineau Olympiques 6-4 thanks in large part to Bourque's 10th goal of the season and his 12th assist. Funny how people are so concerned about Bourque's size but they overlook reasons why you want to see him make it.
You ask a player to kill penalties, defend against the other team's best players and other than one fight (which BTW he won) that Bourque does not have any penalties. And you can not say Bourque does not hit either as he had 2 hits in this game.
Against the Olympiques, first Bourque set up linemate Mirko Hoeffin for a power play goal to bring the Remparts with a goal in the 2nd period. In the third it was Bourque who tied the game up at 4-4 when he scored off a feed from Fredrick Roy at 2:46 again on the power play.
Here is something else to mention; in his last 8 games Bourque is 6-5-11 which makes him the current hottest Ranger prospect right now and just like Chris Kreider heating up it is good news for Team USA. Bourque and Kreider are going to form the leadership core of the defending gold medalists.
Back to Back gold medals really would be thanks to a "Bourque Supremacy".
Dylan McIlrath's (2010 1st) got the good news he was hoping for from the Ranger medical staff. McIlrath has a sprain of his MCL and is not going to need surgery or miss any significant time.
McIlrath is on his way back to Moose Jaw and word has it is itching to get his rehab going. Moose Jaw must have known the news was not going to be that bad as they had pulled off a 5 player deal on Tuesday and did not bring in a replacement defensemen.
When the 49 year old writer tore his MCL, he was down for 4 weeks so an 18 year old with a MCL sprain should be down as little as 2 weeks and as much as 4. If McIlrath is out for a month then he will also have the WHL holiday break (10 days for the Warriors) off to recover.
Now this is going to sound really strange but our experience with prospects has taught us that this is the kind of injury that could actually speed up McIlrath's development. Over the years we have watched as young prospects who suffer their first "major injury scare" realize how fast they could lose their dream to an injury.
They tend to train harder, become more focused and in the right situation go red hot. The best example we can cite is Brandon Dubinsky as in the 2005-06 season he was really sluggish for most of the season.
Then one night we watched as Dubinsky suffered a horrible collision on the ice and had to be helped off the ice by teammates. We watched as Dubinsky was stretchered out of the Memorial Coliseum with a scared look on his face.
The pain, the fear of the unknown as they did not even take him out of his uniform when they wheeled him out. Fearing the worst, it turned out to be just like McIlrath an MCL sprain. When Dubi came back he was a totally different player as he was on fire 15 points in 12 WHL playoff games then joining the Wolf Pack he added 10 points in 11 AHL playoffs.
Now it is just a matter of getting "The Truck" back on the road.
(Images: Bourque/Quebec Remparts, McIlrath/Moose Jaw Warriors)
8 comments:
Seems like he can play both roles. Played a checking role well with Team USA in the WJC and now is doing just fine in a scoring role.
Do you think he will have a top 6 forwards role with Team USA in buffalo?
He should as he paid his dues last season. But if Bourque is asked to be the defensive specialist again I am sure he will do it.
The Bourque I have seen and gotten to know is all about winning so I think given a choice of a 2nd gold medal with 0 points or something else with a bunch of points.
Bourque will take the gold medal first
Seems like they've done a good job drafing good character guys.. Stepan, Werek, Bourque, Kreider ect. Good to see.
The question now John will they let the kids develop so they can become the kinds of contributors the team needs?
You would think they are.. or at the very least trying to make it look like they are. This trade deadline/summer will tell a lot about what exactly it is they're really doing.
The Byers thing left a bad taste in everyones mouth though.
Byers asked to be traded when the NYR recalled Grachev and not him. He saw the handwriting on the wall.
But as I said to someone about the 2004 draft that with this trade, only Dubi and Callahan remain with the NYR.
Yeah, I understand the situation with Byers. I'm happy the organization let him try to catch on elsewhere. But I don't really understand why it was Grachev and not him who was to be called up.
Imagine this team without those two? What a disaster that wouldve been.
I think it was part PR as even those who cover Hartford were scratching their heads about the choice.
Yes Byers is 4th line material but Grachev wound up doing nothing but be a 4th liner
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