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Ray Bourque’s son on becoming a Bruin: “A dream come true for me”

Chris Bourque

On Saturday, the Boston Bruins raised a few eyebrows by trading former first-round pick Zach Hamill to Washington in exchange for 26-year-old UFA with 33 games of NHL experience.

More eyebrows were raised upon learning who the 26-year-old UFA was -- Chris Bourque, son of Bruins legend and Hockey Hall of Famer Ray Bourque.

Chris, who led the American League in scoring this season (27G-66A-93PTS), hasn’t played in the NHL since 2009-10 but is relishing the opportunity to play for the Bruins organization -- and hopefully make the big club.

“It’s the first time I’ve been traded and to get traded to the Bruins was obviously a dream come true for me,” he told the New England Hockey Journal. “It’s where my dad spent most of his career. To be traded to the organization he played in so long, it’s an honor.”

Ray spent 21 of his 22 years in Boston and has his No. 77 hanging from The Garden rafters. He was shocked to hear his kid was joining the Bruins organization.

“I got to tell him the news,” Chris said. “He was obviously stunned. I didn’t really expect to get traded because I’m going to be a free agent soon. I didn’t know it was a possibility.

“Then, to get a call was shocking and to hear it was the Bruins was incredible. I think the whole family kind of feels that way.”

If Chris signs with the Bruins and manages to crack the lineup, the Bourques will join the likes of Harvey and Bill Bennett, Ron and John Grahame and Ken and Ken Hodge Jr. as father-son combos to play for Boston -- a city Chris is extremely familiar with.

“I’m from Boston, I’ve lived here, I’ve grown up here and this is where I call home in the summers and, hopefully, in the near future,” he said. “It’s not really weird to get traded here. When I got the phone call and they told me I was going to Boston, I almost feel like it’s not really real. It feels like a dream. I’m very happy.”