Arguably one of the fastest skaters to ever lace'em up, Bob Bourne was acquired by the New York Islanders from Kansas City in exchange for Bart Crashley and the rights to Larry Hornung on September 13, 1974. He was originally Kansas City's 3rd choice, 38th overall in the 1974 Amateur Draft. The trade was obviously a steal by then Islander GM Bill Torrey. Prior to the deal, Bourne could not reach contract terms with the Scouts, who today are the New Jersey Devils. Bourne called a mutual friend of Mr. Torrey and after a few more calls, Bob was asked if he'd like to be a member of the New York Islanders. Bourne said he'd like nothing better. Reportedly, the deal was made by Torrey only 30 minutes later. As for Hornung and Crashley, they both would remain in the old World Hockey Association.

     Bob became a key member of the Islanders 4 Stanley Cup Championships. He reached the 30 goal plateau 3 times in his career, including a career best season of 35 goals and 41 assists for 76 points during the Islanders 2nd Cup year of 1980-81.

     During the Isles 1983 Stanley Cup run, Bourne was the teams leading scorer with 10 goals and 18 assists. Included in that run was an end to end rush by Bourne in game 5 of the Patrick Division Finals against the New York Rangers on April 20, 1983. Bourne grabbed the puck and circled around the Islanders net. He skated down the length of the ice, put the puck between Rangers' defenseman Reijo Ruotsalainen's feet, saw an opening and shot the puck into the net to Eddie Mio's left, hitting the bottom right corner of the net. The goal has often been referred to as one of the top 50 playoff goals in NHL history. That score was judged one of the top 50 all-time playoff goals, and is still played on re-runs of Canadian hockey classics. Fans of the team will always remember him for his rink length rushes and incredible speed.

     Bourne joined Denis Potvin and Mike Bossy for the 1981 All Star game. He holds New York Islanders records for most shorthanded goals in one season (7 in 1980-81), and most assists in one playoff series (10 vs. N.Y. Rangers in 1983). He scored the first overtime goal in an NHL regular-season game (after league's re-introduction of overtime) in N.Y. Islanders' 7-6 victory in Washington on Oct. 8, 1983. Bourne's goal came at 2:01 of OT. No NHL player had scored in overtime of a regular-season game in nearly 41 years. 

     Bob suffered a few major injuries towards the end of his career. He missed most of 1984 playoffs with a separated shoulder and knee injury, which kept him out of the Stanley Cup Finals series loss to Edmonton. Bourne suffered a serious injury in N.Y. Islanders' game at Los Angeles on Jan. 19, 1985, when the Kings' Phil Sykes skated over his left hand, severing tendons. The injury required surgery on Jan. 20, 1985, and he did not return to action until April 4, 1985. He also missed parts of the 1985-86 season with rib and mouth injuries.

     By the summer of 1986, Torrey was beginning to feel some heat about holding on to some of the teams fading stars. The Isles were just coming off a disappointing first round playoff loss to the Washington Capitals. That is when Torrey decided to part with some of his older players. On October 6, 1986, Bourne was claimed by the Los Angeles Kings in the waiver draft. On the same day, the team also parted ways with power forward Clark Gillies. Both players joined the Islanders for the 1974-75 season. Another thing both players shared in common was that they both were pretty good baseball players and almost chose that as their career instead of hockey. Thankfully for the Islanders they chose the correct path. Bourne and Gillies were former teammates with the Houston Astros farm team in the Appalachian League. 

     After spending two years with LA, which included winning the Masterton Trophy in 1987-88, Bourne retired in 1988. He became a stockbroker in Kelowna, British Columbia until getting back into hockey in 1993 as an assistant coach to current Isles coach and former teammate Butch Goring with the IHL's Las Vegas Thunder. In 1995 he took over the Central Texas Stampede of the Western Professional Hockey League. The following year he re-joined Goring as his assistant with the IHL's Utah Grizzlies and won a Turner Cup Championship. In 1998-99 he was named the head coach of Las Vegas but returned to the Grizzlies in 1999 as head coach and General Manager after Goring left to coach the Islanders. Bourne hasn't been involved in professional hockey since 2001. He currently deals in realty in Kelowna.

     Bob became active in Spina Bifida Association during playing career when his infant son, Jeff, was diagnosed with the disease. Along with his former wife, Janice, he devoted countless hours to the cause, and helped generate tens of thousands of dollars for the association through fund-raisers. He also raised thousands for the New Interdisciplinary School for Handicapped Children in Medford, N.Y. Now 26 years old, Jeff enjoys playing sledge hockey. Bob also has a son named Justin, who is currently in his senior year with the NCAA's Alaska Anchorage Sea Wolves. Justin is currently 23 years old and hopes to continue his hockey career professionally. As infants, both Jeff and Justin were seen sitting in the Stanley Cup during the Islanders Cup celebrations.

     Bob Bourne was inducted into the New York Islanders Hall of Fame on November 25, 2006. While he did not have his number retired, a banner was raised to the Nassau Coliseum rafters in his honor. It will remain there until the next player is inducted in the 2007-08 season. Joining Bourne in the NYI HOF are the five previous players who have had their numbers retired by the Islanders: Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, Denis Potvin, Clark Gillies and Bob Nystrom. Also members are coach Al Arbour and GM Bill Torrey. The Islanders presented Bob with a plaque to be placed in a newly constructed Hall of Fame Garden which will be constructed on Coliseum grounds sometime in 2007.

     Bob was born on June 21, 1954 in Kindersley, Saskatchewan Canada. He played his junior hockey for Saskatoon of the WCHL.