Bob Bourne's number to be retired...in Saskatoon

Blades set stage to retire four-time Stanley Cup Winner Bob Bourne's #12 01/06/05 - Western Hockey League (WHL) Saskatoon Blades The Saskatoon Blades announced this morning that the team and it’s fans will honor former Blades great Bob Bourne in a pre-game ceremony on Friday January 28th , 2005 when the Blue & Gold host the Moose Jaw Warriors. The ceremony will see the #12 of Bourne lifted to the rafters of Credit Union Centre and be officially retired. The jersey retirement will be just the fifth in franchise history, following those of Wendel Clark, Bernie Federko, Brian Skrudland and Brent Ashton. Bob, along with members of the Saskatoon Blades management team will be at Joe Dogs Sports Restaurant on Thursday January 27th from 6:00pm – 7:30pm. Members of the local media are invited to attend, as is the general public. Joe Dogs will be offering supper and finger food specials in honor of Bob’s career with the Saskatoon Blades. This historic celebration, of one of Saskatoon’s finest, is proudly sponsored by PGI Printers, Culligan Water, Riviera, Shaw TV, CJWW, Hot 93FM, Magic 98.3FM, C95, Rock 102FM, 650 CKOM and the StarPhoenix . Bourne, a hometown Saskatchewan boy, spent three full seasons, with the Saskatoon Blades. As a rookie he skated with Dave Lewis, Pat Price, and Lawrence Sacharuk collecting 60 points in 63 games. He followed up with 93 and 71 point seasons to round out his Blades career. Following the 1973-74 season Bob signed with the New York Islanders which was the start of a solid 14 year NHL career which saw Bob compete in 964 regular season games while collecting 258 goals and 324 assists for 582 points with 605 penalty minutes. With the New York Islanders Bob was part on the Islander dynasty that won 4 consecutive Stanley Cup Championships. After retiring in 1988 Bob spent 5 season coaching in the IHL and WPHL. Bob Bourne night will have a local flavor as many players who played with Bob and the Blades still reside in the Saskatoon area: Ralph Klassen, Ron Valade, Russ Walker, Dan Arndt, John McIvor, Don Atchison, Sandy McCannell, Bill Laing, Ron Ashton, Roger Kortko, and Brent Ashton. Saskatoon Blades President Jack Brodsky comments, “The Saskatoon Blades have had a rich history of great hockey players and fine men represent our team. Bob had a wonderful career with the Saskatoon Blades and New York Islanders. He is the only Saskatoon Blade alumni to win the Stanley Cup more than twice as a player, and he did four times. We look forward to having Bob’s number officially retired here at Credit Union Centre and join the likes of Clark, Skrudland, Ashton and Federko.”