Ryan VandenBussche facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ryan VandenBussche |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | February 28, 1973 Simcoe, Ontario, Canada |
||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 202 lb (92 kg; 14 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Right Wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | New York Rangers Chicago Blackhawks Pittsburgh Penguins |
||
| NHL Draft | 173rd overall, 1992 Toronto Maple Leafs |
||
| Playing career | 1993–2007 | ||
Ryan VandenBussche was born on February 28, 1973, in Simcoe, Ontario, Canada. He is a former professional ice hockey player from Canada. Ryan played as a forward for fourteen years. He spent nine of those years in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for famous teams like the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Ryan was well-known for his strong physical play on the ice.
Contents
Ryan VandenBussche's Hockey Journey
Starting His Career
Ryan VandenBussche was chosen by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 173rd player picked overall in the 8th round. Before playing in the NHL, Ryan spent his first few seasons playing for different teams. These teams were in the OHL and the AHL.
Making It to the NHL
On August 22, 1995, Ryan signed with the New York Rangers. He played two seasons with their farm team, the Binghamton Rangers, in the AHL. Ryan finally played his first NHL game in the 1996–97 season. He played 11 games for the New York Rangers that year.
The next season, 1997–98, Ryan played for several different teams. He played three games for the Indianapolis Ice in the IHL. He also played fifteen games for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL. Ryan played sixteen games for the New York Rangers. Then, on March 29, 1998, he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. He played four games for them that season.
Time with the Blackhawks and Penguins
Ryan stayed with the Chicago Blackhawks for several years. On July 12, 2004, the Pittsburgh Penguins signed him. He played for them as a free agent. Later, on September 25, 2006, a team called Jokerit in Finland's top league, SM-liiga, signed him for a try-out. This try-out ended on November 5. After that, Ryan signed with the New Mexico Scorpions. He was a player and a coach for them. However, he stopped playing in January for health reasons.
Ryan VandenBussche was not known for scoring many goals or making lots of assists. In 310 NHL games, he scored 10 goals and had 10 assists. His main job on the team was as an enforcer. This means he was a tough player who protected his teammates. He was known as one of the strongest enforcers in the NHL.
Life After Hockey
After his hockey career, Ryan VandenBussche became involved in new ventures. He and his wife, Lisa, now work in real estate. They work with his father, Ron, as "Team VandenBussche" in Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada.
Ryan also started a charity called Stix n Pix. This charity helps develop local hockey and music programs in the community. He has also teamed up with the Canadian Tire First Shift Program. This program helps young people get involved in hockey. Ryan is also the founder and President of New Leaf Canada Inc. This company focuses on health and wellness products. He uses his experience as an athlete to promote the benefits of plant-based medicines.
In 2017, Ryan VandenBussche received the civilian Canadian Forces Medallion for Distinguished Service. He earned this award for visiting military bases overseas many times. His visits started with a ball hockey game in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 2010.
Career Statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1989–90 | Norwich Merchants | NDJHL | 21 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 146 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | Cornwall Royals | OHL | 49 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 139 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | Cornwall Royals | OHL | 61 | 13 | 15 | 28 | 230 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | ||
| 1992–93 | St. John's Maple Leafs | AHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Newmarket Royals | OHL | 30 | 15 | 12 | 27 | 161 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Guelph Storm | OHL | 29 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 99 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 13 | ||
| 1993–94 | St. John's Maple Leafs | AHL | 44 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 124 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 29 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | ||
| 1994–95 | St. John's Maple Leafs | AHL | 53 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 239 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | ||
| 1995–96 | Binghamton Rangers | AHL | 68 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 240 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | ||
| 1996–97 | Binghamton Rangers | AHL | 38 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 133 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | New York Rangers | NHL | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Indianapolis Ice | IHL | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 15 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | New York Rangers | NHL | 16 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 37 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 119 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Indianapolis Ice | IHL | 34 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 130 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 52 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 143 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 64 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 146 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 50 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 103 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2002–03 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Norfolk Admirals | AHL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 65 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 120 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 23 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 77 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 11 | ||
| 2005–06 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 20 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Jokerit | SM-l | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | New Mexico Scorpions | CHL | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| AHL totals | 292 | 28 | 62 | 90 | 1011 | 23 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 53 | ||||
| NHL totals | 310 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 702 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
