Luc Bourdon Luc Bourdon ( February 16 , 1987 – May 29 , 2008 ) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) and their American Hockey League ( AHL ) affiliate , the Manitoba Moose , from 2006 until 2008 . After overcoming childhood arthritis , he was selected third overall in the 2003 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League ( QMJHL ) draft and played for the Val - d ' Or Foreurs , Moncton Wildcats , and Cape Breton Screaming Eagles , spending four seasons in the QMJHL . The Canucks drafted Bourdon with their first selection , tenth overall , in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft . Noted as a strong defenceman who could contribute on offence , Bourdon represented Canada in three international tournaments , winning two gold medals at the IIHF World U20 Championship and a silver medal at the IIHF World U18 Championship . Bourdon died at the age of 21 near his hometown of Shippagan , New Brunswick , when his motorcycle collided with a tractor trailer . Early life . Born on February 16 , 1987 , Bourdon was an only child raised by his mother , Suzanne Boucher , in the small French - speaking community of Shippagan , New Brunswick . When he was nine , he was confined to a wheelchair after being diagnosed with juvenile arthritis , which he later overcame . As a teenager , he attended École Marie - Esther Secondary , where he was a straight - A student . Growing up in a fishing town , he worked summers on his uncle ' s crab fishing boat . He played as a 13 - and 14 - year - old with the Peninsule Acadien Lynx , and with the Miramichi Rivermen from ages 15 – 16 , both local minor ice hockey teams . After being the third overall choice in the 2003 QMJHL draft , Bourdon left home when he was 16 , returning in the off - season to live with his mother . Upon turning professional and signing his first contract , he anonymously donated $ 10 , 000 to the local minor hockey association for families who could not afford equipment . His donation was posthumously revealed by his former bantam hockey coach , Gilles Cormier , who managed the local arena at the time of Bourdon ' s death . Playing career . Bourdon joined the Val - d ' Or Foreurs for the 2003 – 04 season , registering eight points in 64 regular season games and scoring one goal in seven playoff games . He appeared in all 70 games with the Foreurs in 2004 – 05 , scoring 13 goals and 19 assists , and participated in the CHL Top Prospects Game , an exhibition for draft - eligible players . In June 2005 , Bourdon was the tenth pick overall , selected by the Vancouver Canucks , at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft . Ranked sixth overall for North American skaters coming into the draft , Bourdon was noted as a physical two - way defenceman with significant offensive skills and a strong shot , as well as an excellent skater . He was the second Shippagan - born hockey player to be drafted in the NHL , after goaltender Yanick Degrace was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1991 . Invited to the Canucks training camp , Bourdon almost made the team as an 18 - year - old , but instead was returned to the QMJHL for further development . He began the 2005 – 06 season with the Foreurs , registering 20 points in 20 games , before being traded to the Moncton Wildcats , who were hosting the 2006 Memorial Cup . In exchange for Bourdon , the Wildcats sent Ian Mathieu - Girard , Jean - Sébastien Adam , a fourth - round pick , and a first - round selection in 2008 to Val - d ' Or . Shortly after the trade , Bourdon injured his ankle , suffering a fractured fibula , high and low sprains , and a second - degree ligament tear . Although he returned to join Moncton in the playoffs , doctors told him that it would take two years to fully recover . He managed a full recovery after one year , but his turning ability and backwards skating sometimes lagged . Competing in the Memorial Cup , he reached the Canadian Hockey League ( CHL ) final with the Wildcats , who lost 6 – 2 to the Quebec Remparts . After signing a three - year contract , worth $ 850 , 000 per year with the Canucks on May 4 , 2006 , Bourdon earned a spot on the team ' s 2006 – 07 opening roster . He played his first NHL game on October 10 , 2006 against the Minnesota Wild , but after playing nine games and scoring no points , he was sent again to the QMJHL for further development . On January 8 , 2007 , Bourdon was again traded in the QMJHL , with Moncton sending him to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in exchange for Mark Barberio and a first round selection in the 2007 QMJHL draft . As a Screaming Eagle , Bourdon lost in the QMJHL semi - final against his former team , Val - d ' Or . He finished the 2006 – 07 QMJHL season with 20 points in 36 games . When the Canucks did not qualify for the playoffs , they sent Bourdon to play five games for the Manitoba Moose , who were in the middle of the AHL playoffs . He was held pointless through five AHL playoff games . Including his participation in the 2007 World Junior Championships , Bourdon played for five different teams throughout the 2006 – 07 season . Initially failing to make the Canucks starting roster out of training camp , Bourdon began the 2007 – 08 season with the Manitoba Moose ; however , because of a series of injuries among the Canucks ' defencemen throughout the season , Bourdon was called up on several occasions . Bourdon scored his first goal on November 16 , 2007 , against goaltender Niklas Bäckström in a 6 – 2 win over the Minnesota Wild . Bourdon finished the season on the Canucks roster , and was sent back to the Manitoba Moose for the AHL playoffs , playing in six playoff games for the Moose . He appeared in 27 games for the Canucks over the season , scoring two goals , as well as scoring 14 points during 41 games with the Moose . As a young and promising defenceman , Bourdon was regularly mentioned in rumours of trades for more offence at the forward positions . Most significantly , he was speculated to be part of a package in exchange for Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brad Richards . Although Bourdon had a powerful shot , he did not play defence responsibly enough to earn a regular spot on the roster . He began to show signs of improvement and maturity as the Canucks used him more in the 2007 – 08 season . International play . Bourdon made his international debut representing Team Canada in the 2005 World Under - 18 Championships , held in the Czech Republic , earning one assist in a silver - medal effort . In the 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in British Columbia , Bourdon competed in his first of two consecutive World Junior Championships . He was named player of the game in round - robin play after a scoring a goal and an assist in a 4 – 0 win against Norway . He finished the tournament leading all defencemen in scoring with six points in six games and was named to the tournament ' s all - star team . Upon winning gold , Bourdon returned to Shippagan and showcased his medal at the local arena to crowds of supporters . At the 2007 World Junior Championships in Leksand and Mora , Sweden , Bourdon was awarded a second player of the game distinction after the first round - robin contest against Sweden , in which he scored the game winning goal in a 2 – 0 victory . Later in the tournament , Bourdon scored the game - tying goal in the third period of a 2 – 1 shootout win over the United States in the semi - final . In total , Bourdon picked up two goals and two assists in six games , helping Canada to a second straight gold medal . Death . Bourdon was killed instantly in a motorcycle collision in Lamèque , New Brunswick , near his hometown of Shippagan on May 29 , 2008 , when he hit a tractor - trailer after losing control of his 2009 Suzuki GSX - R1000 and crossing the centre line . Environment Canada showed winds gusting to more than 50 km / h ( 31 mph ) in the area at the time of the accident . The Royal Canadian Mounted Police stated that Bourdon ' s inexperience with motorcycles may have been a factor in the crash . Bourdon ' s agent , Kent Hughes , stated that he never knew about his client ' s new hobby ( motorcycles ) . " I had no idea , " he explained to CKNW in Vancouver . " Another client of ours , Kris Letang , said Luc let him know he was riding his dad ' s motorcycle with some friends a week or two ago . I have since been told — though I don ' t know — that he actually bought a motorcycle two days ago " . Maryse Bourdon , Luc ' s stepmother , said he had purchased the motorcycle about three weeks before . Letang , Bourdon ' s close friend and former roommate from junior hockey , planned to buy a motorcycle after Bourdon told him about his ; because of the crash , he decided against it . The American Hockey League , where Bourdon had played for the Manitoba Moose , observed a moment of silence in Bourdon ' s honour prior to game one of the Calder Cup Finals between the Chicago Wolves and the Wilkes - Barre / Scranton Penguins just hours after the accident , and on May 31 , the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings observed a moment of silence before game four of the 2008 Stanley Cup Final . During the 2008 NHL Draft , the Canucks ' management wore guitar pins to remember Bourdon , because he was an avid guitarist . At the Canucks ' 2008 – 09 NHL season home opener against the Calgary Flames , the Canucks honoured Bourdon with a brief pre - game ceremony . Bourdon ' s family was presented with his last game - worn jersey , given by the fan who won the jersey during an annual charity event the previous season . Afterwards , Tom Cochrane and Red Rider performed " Big League " during the video tribute . Commemorative pins were handed out to fans attending the game and will be worn throughout the season by General Motors Place hosts . The Canucks have also been wearing " LB " on their helmets this season in memory of Bourdon . At General Motors Place , the Luc Bourdon Wall of Dreams was established to commemorate Bourdon . The Manitoba Moose honoured Bourdon with a video tribute before their 2008 – 09 home opener on October 10 , 2008 . Moose players all wore # 4 Bourdon jerseys during the warmup , and “ # 4 LB ” patches will be worn on the jerseys of players all season . A senior men ' s ice hockey team in New Brunswick , the Lameque / Shippagan Pêcheurs , also honoured him , wearing a " 28 Bourdon " patch on their jerseys over the course of the 2008 – 09 season . During the 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships , Team Canada honoured Bourdon by wearing LB stickers in their opening game . In addition , no Canadian player wore the jersey number 6 , the number Bourdon wore with the national team , throughout the tournament .