Not just an All-Star, Bourque is a warrior for all ages.

The thought of tiptoeing from era to era to era and planting his imprint in each segment during his 21-plus years in the NHL brings a smile to defenseman Ray Bourque's face.

The smile is a sign that he appreciates what he has done. Moreover, it's a challenge to the rest of the NHL, showing that he isn't ready for retirement, that he still has the drive and the passion to win his first Stanley Cup.

Bourque is a proud man. He was willing to stay loyal to the Bruins and retire there after last season. But he admits would have hated himself afterward.

"Here," says Bourque, who was traded to the Avalanche last March, "you can feel the expectations, especially after this team got to Game 7 of the conference finals the last two years. The bar is set high--as well it should be with the people we have in this room.

"There's really some scary skill on this team. Up front you're talking about Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk and Chris Drury. You get them the puck, and they just fly. You spend a lot of the night at the other end of the ice. I've never been around that kind of talent throughout the lineup. We're talking about the Cup or bust."

Tidy in his own end, polished in the opposition's, Bourque had built a career that had, until last March, been organized to the point of simple efficiency: almost 21 seasons with one team, five Norris Trophies as the NHL's best defenseman, 18 All-Star selections, the most of any player in the game. The lone honor he's lacking: his name engraved on the Stanley Cup.

Bourque makes that 19 All-Star Game appearances this weekend in Denver.