Rick Rypien facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rick Rypien |
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Rypien with the Vancouver Canucks in 2009
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| Born | May 16, 1984 Blairmore, Alberta, Canada |
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| Died | August 15, 2011 (aged 27) Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Vancouver Canucks | ||
| NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 2005–2011 | ||
Richard Joseph Rypien (born May 16, 1984 – died August 15, 2011) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played as a forward for parts of six seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks.
Rick Rypien was known for his tough and energetic style of play. He was a fourth-line player in the NHL, meaning he was part of the team's fourth group of forwards. He was good at hitting and fighting, even though he wasn't as big as most players who specialized in those roles.
After the 2010–11 NHL season, Rypien signed with the Winnipeg Jets. Sadly, he passed away before he could play for his new team.
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Rick Rypien's Early Life
Rick Rypien was born in Blairmore, Alberta, Canada, on May 16, 1984. He grew up in a small community nearby called Coleman, Alberta. His parents were Shelley and Wes Rypien. Rick's father, Wes, was a Canadian boxing champion.
Rick also had an older brother, Wes Jr., who played in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and later professionally. Rick's cousin, Mark Rypien, was a famous National Football League (NFL) quarterback. He was even named the most valuable player of Super Bowl XXVI.
Starting Hockey as a Kid
Rick started playing minor hockey when he was about five or six years old. His first team was the Pass Rangers from Coleman, and his father was their coach. Rick followed in the footsteps of his older brother, who had started playing hockey before him. As he grew up, his favorite hockey players were forwards Wendel Clark and Eric Lindros.
Rick Rypien's Hockey Career
Junior Hockey Years
Rick Rypien began his junior career in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) in the 2001–02 season. He scored 22 points (12 goals and 10 assists) in 57 games. During that same season, he also played one game for the Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League (WHL).
Rick was not chosen in the WHL Bantam Draft, but he earned a spot with the Pats as a walk-on player. This means he tried out and impressed the team enough to join them. He played three years with Regina and even served as a team captain.
- In his first full WHL season (2002–03), he had 18 points in 50 games.
- The next season (2003–04), he improved to 45 points in 65 games.
- In his final year (2004–05), he had his best season with 22 goals, 29 assists, and 51 points. He won three team awards, including the most valuable player.
Becoming a Professional Player
After his junior career, Rick Rypien was not drafted by an NHL team. However, the general manager of the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Manitoba Moose contacted him. The AHL is a minor league, a step below the NHL.
Rick signed a tryout contract with the Moose for the end of the 2004–05 AHL season. He played well, scoring a goal and an assist in eight games. He also helped the team reach the Conference Finals in the playoffs. Because of his good play, he earned a full AHL contract for the next season.
Joining the Vancouver Canucks
In the 2005–06 AHL season, Rick attended the training camp for the Vancouver Canucks, who were the parent team of the Moose. He was sent back to the Moose, but less than two months later, he signed a contract with the Canucks.
On December 21, 2005, Rick Rypien made his NHL debut against the Edmonton Oilers. In his very first shift, he scored his first NHL goal! Just ten days later, he broke his fibula (a bone in his leg) in a game. After recovering, he returned to the Moose.
Rick continued to split his time between the Canucks and the Moose over the next few seasons. He often got injured, which was frustrating for him. In the 2008-09 NHL season, he made the Canucks' main roster for the first time at the start of the season. However, he soon suffered a sports hernia.
After recovering from his injury, Rick took some time away from the team for personal health reasons. The Canucks organization supported him during this time. He returned to play later that season and helped the Canucks reach the playoffs. He played in all ten playoff games that year.
Later Seasons and New Team
In the 2009–10 NHL season, Rick Rypien continued to play on the Canucks' fourth line. He had his best NHL season for points, with 8 points (4 goals and 4 assists) in 69 games.
In his first game of the 2010–11 NHL season, Rick was involved in an incident with a fan. He was suspended for six games by the NHL and later apologized for his actions. After serving his suspension, Rick struggled to stay in the Canucks' lineup. He took another leave of absence for personal reasons, and the team continued to support him. He finished his final season as a Canuck with one assist in nine games.
After the season, Rick Rypien became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team. On July 2, 2011, he signed a one-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets were a new team, as the Atlanta Thrashers franchise had moved to Winnipeg. Rick was excited to join a familiar organization, as the Jets had the same owners as the Manitoba Moose, where he had played before. He was ready to wear jersey number 11 for the Jets, the same number he wore in junior hockey.
Rick Rypien's Playing Style
Throughout his hockey career, Rick Rypien was known as a tough and hardworking player. When he played for the Canucks, he was a fourth-line forward. His job was to bring energy to the team with his speed, aggressive play, and fighting skills. Fans loved these qualities about him.
Rick was known for fighting players who were much bigger and heavier than him. This tough style of play, however, also led to many injuries for him during his career.
Career Statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2001–02 | Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves | AJHL | 57 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 143 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Regina Pats | WHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Regina Pats | WHL | 50 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 159 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 21 | ||
| 2003–04 | Regina Pats | WHL | 65 | 19 | 26 | 45 | 186 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 18 | ||
| 2004–05 | Regina Pats | WHL | 63 | 22 | 29 | 51 | 148 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | ||
| 2005–06 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 49 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 122 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 22 | ||
| 2005–06 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 14 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 34 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 81 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
| 2007–08 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 22 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 12 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 40 | ||
| 2009–10 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 69 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 126 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | ||
| 2010–11 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | ||
| NHL totals | 119 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 226 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 47 | ||||
- Source: NHL.com
See Also
In Spanish: Rick Rypien para niños
- List of ice hockey players who died during their careers
