In April 2024, Ryan Bourque returned to his roots at Cushing, becoming the head coach for the boys hockey team. Just over one year later, Bourque returns to a different set of roots: the AHL. Bourque was announced as an assistant coach with the Providence Bruins on Wednesday. The Topsfield, Mass., native will no longer...
In April 2024, Ryan Bourque returned to his roots at Cushing, becoming the head coach for the boys hockey team. Just over one year later, Bourque returns to a different set of roots: the AHL.
Bourque was announced as an assistant coach with the Providence Bruins on Wednesday. The Topsfield, Mass., native will no longer be the head coach at Cushing.
While it was only one year leading the Penguins, it was quite a season, as Cushing won an Elite 8 title.
NEW COACH AT CUSHING: Dan Fontas named head coach
After an up-and-down start and middle of the season, the Penguins won 11 straight games, culminating in a thrilling, 4-3 victory over Dexter Southfield in the Elite 8 championship.
Bourque was an assistant with the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2023-24. For the two prior seasons, he was an assistant coach with the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays.
A '91, Bourque played two strong seasons at Cushing from 2005-07 before making the U.S. NTDP. He spent two seasons there and was drafted in the third round (80th overall) by the New York Rangers in the 2009 NHL Draft. He played 2009-11 with the QMJHL's Québec Ramparts.
His professional career was mostly spent in the AHL, although he did play one game for the Rangers in 2014-15. In 585 games over nine seasons with the AHL's Connecticut Whale, Hartford Wolf Pack, Hershey Bears, Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Charlotte Checkers, Bourque posted 85 goals and 203 points in 585 games.
Bourque comes from quite a hockey bloodline. His father is Ray Bourque, who was a legendary Boston Bruins defenseman and Hockey Hall of Famer. His older brother Chris was a second-round pick by the Washington Capitals, got some NHL experience and played mostly in the AHL. Chris is currently a scout for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Providence Bruins assistant coaching job opened after Matt Thomas was hired as the next head men's hockey coach for RIT in April.
