Before the Duckboats: The Ray Bourque City Hall Rally | NBC Sports Boston

It's hard to believe now after the Celtics, Patriots, Red Sox and Bruins have combined to win 12 championships since 2001, but it actually happened on June 12, 2001.
That's when former Bruins defenseman Ray Bourque brought the Stanley Cup back to Boston after winning it that season with the Colorado Avalanche. Bourque was traded from the B's to the Avs during the 1999-00 season when it became clear that his dream of winning a title wasn't going to happen in Boston after spending 21 years with the franchise.
NBC Sports Boston has created a mini-documentary of Bourque's celebration in Boston. It includes lots of interviews and a look at the state of the four major Boston teams at the time. For those old enough to remember, the city was often called "Loserville" at that point because its previous championship came in 1986.
CONNECT ➡️
- Subscribe to our channel: bit.ly/nbcsbostonYT
- MyTeams App: bit.ly/myteamsYT
- Our website: www.nbcsports.com/boston/
- Follow us on Instagram: / nbcsboston
- Like us on Facebook: / nbcsboston
- Follow us on Twitter: / nbcsboston
The official KZbin page of NBC Sports Boston. Home of the Celtics, Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Revolution. We connect fans with the teams they love.

[@ks9610]

I remember so clearly, watching those Stanley Cup Finals … I teared up when Joe Sakic barely lifted the Cup & immediately passed it to Bourque. I loved that he brought the Cup back to Boston & got to hear the adulation from all the fans who loved & rooted for him for 20+ years! It was a great moment.

[@slayer2112w1]

Joe Sakic's greatest assist

[@TJ89741]

Getting Bourque literally won the Avs the cup in 01. He was a perfect fit for that team.

[@Hupernike45]

I could be wrong, but based on what we saw from the Sox (new ownership) in the early 2000s, and what we've seen from the Pats since 2001 (new ownership), there was one huge missing ingredient in the Bruins organization; an owner who wanted a championship, and would do whatever it took to get one.

[@notoriouseagle1074]

Without Cam Neely as our president, we wouldn't have won in 2011.

[@jonathanjohnson9236]

Started Chain of Events For Boston Sports Teams

[@davidbarton1806]

This was when we was still losers! but when I was 9 years old I was fortunate enough to hold the cup and get to kiss it because when the Rangers won it a HomeTown hero from South Boston Brian Noonan when the cup and took it home to the projects and we all got to take pictures with it

[@user-or1rl2ml9m]

For all of Harry's positives his one fault was his inability to change with the times. Players can be replaced, that was his thinking. Jacobs held on too long to a dinosaur. Taking the greatest defenseman and most complete player of his generation to arbitration and yelling at the arbiter "if you award him that money I'll trade his ass!" should have had Ray running for the door. Ray Winning in Colorado was not only the doing of Pierre Lacroix but also the doing of Harry Sinden. His signing of "serviceable players" and continual yearly holdouts were the downfall of the Bruins in the 90's. Ray celebrating on City Hall was a celebration for Ray and a slap in the face and wake up call to the Bruins...both overdue and both deserving of it.

[@macahdahma7382]

Nothing wrong, people bring the Cup to their hometown.... Boston was no different for Bourque...

[@DrkEnigma]

The fact they had a rally for a guy from another team ? Tough to watch now....ugh....😒

[@notoriouseagle1074]

Imagine if LeBron got this for his Miami championship in Cleveland.

[@4orrcountry]

You don't get it. Ray Bourque's NOT just "another guy"!!

[@DrkEnigma]

Ok...if the team did something for him....sure....but I'm sorry...the city ???

[@23jakesmith23]

Stfu. A. Boston constantly produces champions so its not some pain for them to honor this rare occasion B. You have no clue what Ray Bourque meant to Boston sports fans

[@johnd6535]

@@DrkEnigma that's cause your prob no older than 22 so you have no clue how starved Boston was for a winner obv its been nothing but winning majority of 2000's

[@scottbourque8843]

THE GOAT