TORONTO (AP) – Ray Bourque, the finest defenseman of his generation, entered the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday with Paul Coffey and Larry Murphy.

The three stellar defenseman combined for nine Stanley Cups and joined the hall with builder Cliff Fletcher and hockey writer Jim Kelley.

Bourque played for 22 NHL seasons and was a five-time Norris Trophy winner. He spent all his career in Boston until he capped it by winning the Stanley Cup with Colorado in his final season in 2001.

Not bad for a kid who just wanted to make a good impression as a rookie in 1979.

“In a locker room full of veterans, I was in awe,” Bourque said in a speech accepting the honor in Toronto. “But I learned everything about what being a Bruin meant from guys like Terry O’Reilly, Wayne Cashman, and all the other leaders in that dressing room.

“I learned the importance of tradition and values of being a Bruin, and I tried to pass those things on,” he continued. “A fellow Hall of Famer, Brad Park, taught me so much about how to play my position.”

The NHL’s rookie of the year in 1979-80, Bourque left many memorable moments for his fans.

In 1987 on the Boston Garden ice, he pulled his No. 7 jersey off his back, revealing No. 77, and allowing the Bruins to retire Phil Esposito’s number. Later that season, Bourque led the Bruins past the Montreal Canadiens – Boston hadn’t beaten Montreal in a playoff series since 1945 – and into the Stanley Cup final. But Boston lost to Edmonton, and lost again in 1990 to the Oilers in the Stanley Cup final.

Nearing retirement, Bourque asked to be traded in 2000 and went to the Stanley Cup contender Colorado Avalanche. A year later, Bourque raised the Cup above his head.

Bourque, first in career points by NHL defensemen with 1,579, was the complete package: smooth skater, great vision, tape-to-tape passing, booming shot and physical along the boards.

“I played with Mario (Lemieux) in Pittsburgh,” former Bruin and Bourque teammate Andy Brickley said at a celebration Monday night in Boston. “He’s one of the greatest players I’ve ever seen, but he didn’t work like Raymond worked.”

Another former teammate, Lyndon Byers, echoed others in noting Bourque’s work ethic and dedication to his family.

“Sometimes what makes a player special is they’re better human beings than they are athletes,” Byers said.

In Toronto, Bourque thanked the Bruins and Avalanche organizations, and the fans of both teams. But he clearly has a soft spot for the glory days of Bruins past.

“Playing in the old Boston Garden was like being in hockey heaven,” he said, noting the passion of the fans. “They always treated me with respect, and I returned that feeling. Boston was great place to play and raise a family, and that’s our home now.”

Coffey won three Stanley Cups in Edmonton and one in Pittsburgh. His 48 goals in 1985-86 are the most by a defenseman in one season and that year he set the record for longest consecutive-games points streak by a defenseman (28). He won the Norris Trophy three times.

Murphy earned two championship rings with Pittsburgh and two more with Detroit. The records he set in 1980-81 for rookie defensemen – most assists (60) and most points (76) – still stand.

No one possessed Coffey’s offensive flair from the blue line. He was the Bobby Orr of his generation, a sensational skater who captivated fans in the 1980s with end-to-end rushes.

Murphy never won a Norris Trophy but quietly put up imposing numbers. His 1,615 games are second among defensemen behind Scott Stevens (1,635) while his 1,216 points are fifth among players at his position.

Murphy’s sense of anticipation and vision on the ice made up for his lack of speed and agility. His boyhood dream of playing for his beloved Maple Leafs soured when Toronto fans booed him as the club struggled in 1995-96 and 1996-97.

One of the great moments for Bourque, Murphy and Coffey came at the 1987 Canada Cup final, the only time the three played on the same team at once.

“It’s the finishing touch of a wonderful career,” Bruins season ticket holder Paula Mattaliano said at a Boston sports bar where fans and former players gathered to watch the induction ceremony on large-screen TVs. “Ray Bourque is the essence of hockey.”

AP-ES-11-08-04 2254EST