One of the most memorable covers in The Hockey News' history was Ray Bourque holding the Stanley Cup in 2001 after defeating the New Jersey Devils in seven games

For fans of a certain vintage, the image of Ray Bourque finally lifting the Stanley Cup above his head in 2001 belongs on the Mount Rushmore of feel-good hockey moments. Cup final opponent and New Jersey defenseman Scott Stevens summed up the sentiment well in senior writer Mike Brophy’s cover story on Bourque and the Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche: “If there is anything good out of (losing), it is Ray winning the Cup. He’s a hell of a player, and he has been in the game a long time.”

As speculated in the story, Bourque retired that summer, ending his 22-year NHL career on top of the hockey world. “Mission Accomplished” is a nod to Colorado’s playoff motto: Mission 16W, which referred to the number of wins needed to earn Lord Stanley’s mug. 

From Joe Sakic's promise to Bourque before the season began to what other players thought of his move to Colorado, relive the entire Stanley Cup win in the June 29, 2001 issue. 

While Bourque may have graced the cover, there's more about Cup-winning Avalanche players inside the edition — specifically how Sakic cleaned house at the NHL Awards in Toronto and who was possibly leaving the team.

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