Justin Bourne Explained

Justin Bourne
Position:Forward
Played For:Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:195
Birth Date:12 December 1982
Birth Place:Huntington, New York, U.S.[1]
Career Start:2006
Career End:2009
Draft:Undrafted

Justin Bourne (born December 12, 1982) is an American sportswriter. A former professional ice hockey player, he has also coached professionally, most recently as an assistant coach for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.

Playing career

Bourne played collegiate hockey for the University of Alaska Anchorage before ending the 2006-07 season with the ECHL's Alaska Aces. He was signed the following year by the Utah Grizzlies, going on to score 10 goals and 10 assists in a 17-game stretch, and playing in the 2008 ECHL All-Star game.[2]

Writing career

Bourne's writing career began after a serious jaw injury forced him into retirement.[3] In his first year as a columnist for USA Today, his piece on stopping the use of gay slurs in sports encouraged Brendan Burke to tell his story.[4] Alongside USA Today, his articles have been featured across brands including Greg Wyshynski's Puck Daddy, The Hockey News, Hockey Primetime, as well as various other newspapers and websites.

Bourne eventually joined The Score as a featured writer and stats analyst, as well as a senior hockey columnist for The Athletic and Sportsnet.[5]

Coaching career

On November 25, 2015, Bourne left his position at The Score to become an assistant coach for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, working with the team's video coaching for two seasons.[6]

Personal life

Bourne's father Bob won the Stanley Cup four times as a centre for the New York Islanders. Bourne is currently married to Brianna, daughter of former NHL all-star Clark Gillies.[7]

Career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2001–02Vernon VipersBCHL6026295531
2002–03Vernon VipersBCHL6032447652
2003–04University of Alaska AnchorageWCHA40413176
2004–05University of Alaska AnchorageWCHA3712112310
2005–06University of Alaska AnchorageWCHA35581314
2006–07University of Alaska AnchorageWCHA3710213114
2006–07Alaska AcesECHL9336483256
2007–08Utah GrizzliesECHL5016153146132022
2007–08Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL162352
2008–09Reading RoyalsECHL10000
2008–09Idaho SteelheadsECHL1111221
AHL totals16 2 3 5 2

Awards and honors

HonoursYear
ECHL
All-Star Game2008

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Justin Bourne Stats and News . NHL.com . 24 August 2018.
  2. Web site: Keith Johnson, Justin Bourne Named All-Stars . 2008-01-14 . Utah Grizzlies . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101231170913/http://www.utahgrizzlies.com/fancenter/recentnews/index.html?article_id=510 . 2010-12-31 .
  3. Web site: Justin Bourne's Blog: A love-hate relationship with hockey . Justin . Bourne . 2009-02-15 . The Hockey News . 2010-10-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160501010611/http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/23387-Justin-Bourneas-Blog-A-lovehate-relationship-with-hockey.html . 2016-05-01 . dead .
  4. Web site: Does Brian Burke's gay son change anything for hockey culture? . Greg . Wyshynski . Greg Wyshynski . 2008-11-25 . Puck Daddy Blog . Yahoo! Sports .
  5. Web site: Justin Bourne to join Sportsnet’s multi-platform hockey coverage . sportsnet.ca . September 13, 2020 . November 7, 2019.
  6. Web site: JUSTIN BOURNE JOINS MARLIES COACHING STAFF . Silverman . Cat . 2015-11-25 . theleafsnation.com . The Nation Network .
  7. Web site: Compton . Brian . Gillies death has Bourne recalling when Islanders teammates became family . nhl.com . April 17, 2023 . January 23, 2022 . Roughly 20 years later, Gillies' daughter, Brianna, and Bourne's son, Justin, reunite at Bourne's induction into the Islanders Hall of Fame. They start dating, fall in love, get married and have two children..