Forward Chris Bourque will return for his ninth season as a Bear after agreeing to an AHL contract for the 2017-18 season.

“My family and I are very excited to be coming back,” Bourque said in a press release. “We really do love Hershey. We’ve had some great memories here and we’re looking forward to building some new ones going forward.”

Bourque currently leads the Bears in playoff scoring, as well as the AHL’s active leading scorer with 639 points.

“Chris has done so much for the Bears in his illustrious career,” Bears VP of Hockey Operations Bryan Helmer said in the same press release. “He is one of the premier players in the AHL and has become a fantastic veteran leader for our club. His impressive resume and body of work speaks for itself.”

“I take a lot of pride in being a Hershey Bear,” said Bourque. “Every night I get to put that sweater on is an honor for me. I just love being part of the community and playing in front of the great fans at Giant Center.”

Bourque is also a leading candidate for the 2018 USA Olympic Hockey team.

Full press release:

