Bourque played four seasons at the University of Wisconsin (2000-04), leading the Badgers in scoring in his junior and senior seasons. He was signed as a free agent by the Chicago Blackhawks on July 29, 2004
After an impressive training camp, Rene was assigned to Norfolk, where he has proceeded to shine. Among AHL rookies, he is currently tied for first with19 goals and second with 34 points in 45 games.
Rene tallied a point in nine of his 10 games during January, beginning the New Year with a seven-game scoring streak and was named Rookie of the Month. He tallied seven goals and five assists for 12 points along with a plus-8 rating for the Admirals, who went 8-1-0-1 during that span.
While he is benefiting from the AHL experience, his numbers suggest that he's a prime candidate to fill any empty skates when the NHL reopens. He may also be one of the few players who will be up to the challenge of starting in the major leagues with a little pro seasoning.
