Rene Bourque’s status as Team Canada’s most important player in their quest for Olympic gold may come as a surprise to many who watched him play his way out of the National Hockey League over the last half-dozen years.
Since posting a pair of 27-goal seasons with the Calgary Flames, the 36-year-old never once cracked the 20-mark again. Injuries and inconsistency have plagued the left-shot right winger his entire career and ultimately overshadowed his speed, booming shot and ability to drop opponents in their tracks with his body, along the boards or in open ice.
The NHL’s refusal to participate in the Pyeongchang Games may have opened the door to Bourque’s dream hockey swansong, but he forced his way through that crack — and that’s why he is the key to Team Canada’s hopes for a third straight Olympic gold.