Heritage Classic Rene Bourque Review

Hey guys, after pulling HC Bourque in a pack the first day he came out, I decided, what the heck, I'll try him. I was pleasantly surprised, and decided to post my thoughts.

LINEMATES: MOV Backstrom, Base Patrick Kane

SYNERGIES ACTIVE: NP, TT, TW, B, CG

STATS: 12 GP, 5 G, 8 A, 13 P

SKATING: 8.75/10

Speed (91) is just one of Bourque's strong suits, along with Agility (90). He easily keeps up with my line mates. He's a tank on he puck however, feels like he's stuck to the ground like a bubble hockey player. His Balance is 93, which shows for sure. He tires a little quick, with Endurance at 86, so he's best suited for a 3rd/4th line role. Comparable to MS 89 Iginla.

SHOOTING: 9/10

With 92 in both Wrist Shot Power and Slap Shot Power, he fires rockets. And 88 WSA and 87 SSA is good enough to pick corners. He can really generate rebounds, and thanks to that power some goals trickle through the netminder and fall right in. Comparable to MS 89 Iginla, again haha.

HANDS: 8.5/10

He pleasantly surprised me in this category, his passes are actually pretty crisp (could be thanks to TT) and his puck control is unrivaled. He can still dangle with a Deking of 88, and Hand Eye of 88 is great for those front of the net redirects. Comparable to Base Corey Perry.

CHECKING: 9.5/10

Oh boy, can Rene light them up. With a Body Checking of 92, Aggression of 91, and Strength of 93, no Gaudreau is safe around Bourque. Combined with his 93 Balance he will not be run over by most opponents. Be careful of his 86 Discipline, as you may get some more minors than normal. Comparable to Paul Bissonette.

DEFENSE: 9.5/10

Rene's Stick Checking of 89 and Shot Blocking of 89 are staples of his two way game. With his Defensive Awareness of also 89, he always seems to be right on the puck carrier or stopping the puck in the neutral zone. A surprising two way player for sure. Comparable to Base Bergeron.

OVERALL: 9/10

I was really surprised at how quick Bourque was, being 6'2 and 217 lbs. He can shoot, he can pass, he can hit, and he can defend. Really a complete player all around. I would recommend him to anyone looking for a 4th line PK'er, or that 2NP and TT synergies. I have no idea his market value, but I figured I'd review him since not many people can try him. If anyone is interested in trying or maybe acquiring him, you can PM me. But as an Avs fan, it's a very cool card to have.

Thanks for reading guys!