Tuhia tētahi tohutoro mō tēnei wāhanga - I whānau a Bourque ki Boston, engari i tipu ake ki Topsfield, Massachusetts, ā, i puta ia i te Cushing Academy i te tau 2004. I a ia i reira, he hoa tata ia ki a Keith Yandle. I whakauruhia ia ki te 33rd katoa i te 2004 NHL Entry Draft
i te Washington Capitals, a ka takaro mo te Portland Pirates me Hershey Bears o te American Hockey League (AHL) i mua i te karanga ki te NHL i te Whiringa-a-rangi 2007. E wha nga keemu NHL i takaro i mua i tana tukunga ki a Hershey i te Hui-tanguru 2008.