Former Boston Bruins hockey star Ray Bourque will be the honorary guest at Saturday’s opening day of the Lions Tournament, Steve Bannister, the tournament’s director, said Thursday.

The National Hockey League Hall of Famer will be at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on Saturday to drop the puck, offer a few words about his own youth hockey experience, and meet some of the young players.

There’s much excitement about Bourque’s visit, Bannister said Thursday. The league has been working the past six weeks to have him appear. They got the news Wednesday.

“It’s a great opportunity to expose the players of the league to someone of Ray Bourque’s stature,” Bannister said. He said he’s a lifelong Bruins and Ray Bourque fan. What he likes about Bourque was “his leadership on the ice. He always led the team through his example and play.”

Bourque was the first round pick of the Bruins in the 1979 NHL draft, and scored his first goal in his first Bruins game.

He played 22 seasons, 21 with Boston. During those 22 years he was a member of 21 playoff teams. He’s a five-time Norris Trophy winner, the NHL Career leader in shots on goal, and holds the record for points scored by a defenseman. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Today he owns the Tresca restaurant in the North End of Boston, is a
spokesperson for TD Bank, and a hockey dad.

Bourque will be a part of the opening ceremony Saturday, which begins at 9:30 a.m. The public is welcome, Bannister said. Admission for the day is $3.

This year is the 38th annual Lions Tournament of the Lewiston Area Youth Hockey League. The Lions Tournament is the longest continuously running youth hockey tournament in the country, Bannister said. The tournament continues on Sunday and into next week’s school vacation.

This year some 450 players will participate. Their ages range from 4 to 14. The youngest are the Atoms, a learn-to-skate-and-play hockey division. This year’s contributing sponsor is the Fortin Group. Other youth hockey leagues competing are Auburn Youth Hockey, Central Maine Youth Hockey of Waterville, and Casco Bay Youth Hockey from Portland.

— Bonnie Washuk