Rick Rypien

Richard Joseph Rypien (May 16, 1984 – August 15, 2011) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who spent parts of six seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks from 2005 to 2011.

Rypien was born in Blairmore, Alberta, a community within the municipality of Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, on May 16, 1984.

He was raised in nearby Coleman, a community with a population of approximately 1,000.

Rypien was the son of Shelley and Wes Rypien, the latter of whom was a Canadian boxing champion.

Rypien's older brother, Wes Jr., also played in the WHL and later competed professionally in the ECHL for several seasons.

Rypien was also the second cousin of NHL enforcer Shane Churla.

Rypien's cousin, Mark Rypien, is a former National Football League (NFL) quarterback who was named the most valuable player of Super Bowl XXVI.

Rypien played minor hockey out of the local Crowsnest Pass Minor Hockey Association.

At age five or six, he joined his first team, the Pass Rangers from Coleman, coached by his father.

Aside from his boxing career, Rypien's father had also played hockey.

Rypien followed after his older brother, as well, who had begun hockey before him.

Growing up, his favourite players were forwards Wendel Clark and Eric Lindros.

During Rypien's second season with the Regina Pats, his girlfriend died in a car accident while en route to watch him play in Calgary.

Rypien began his junior career in 2001–02 with the Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves of the Alberta Junior A Hockey League (AJHL), recording 22 points (12 goals and 10 assists) over 57 games.

During the season, he also debuted with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL), playing one game.

Unselected in the annual WHL Bantam Draft, Rypien earned a spot with the Pats as a walk-on.

During his three-year tenure with Regina, he served as a team captain.

As a WHL rookie in 2002–03, he scored 18 points (6 goals and 12 assists) over 50 games.

The following season, he improved to 45 points (19 goals and 26 assists) over 65 games.

In his final year with the club, he set career-highs with 22 goals, 29 assists and 51 points.

He received three team awards, being chosen as the most valuable player, the Bill Hicke Award as the fans' choice as most popular player, and the Molson Cup for having received the most three star selections.

Undrafted out of junior, Rypien was contacted by Craig Heisinger, general manager of the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Manitoba Moose, in his last season with the Pats.

When Rypien's career with the Pats ended, Heisinger signed Rypien to an amateur tryout for the remainder of the 2004–05 AHL season.

After a major junior career of four years with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL), he was signed to a professional contract by the minor league Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2005.

The following season, he signed with the Canucks.

He spent six years with the organization, splitting time between the Canucks and Moose, their AHL affiliate.

A fourth-line player in the NHL, he was known for his hitting and fighting abilities, though his size was not typical of an enforcer.

He recorded a goal and an assist over eight regular season games with the Moose, then helped the team to the Conference Finals of the 2005 playoffs with no points over fourteen contests.

His play earned him an AHL contract to remain with the club for the 2005–06 season.

As a result, Rypien attended NHL training camp with the Moose's parent club, the Vancouver Canucks, who released him back to the Moose for the season.

Less than two months into the season, he signed a two-way contract with the Canucks on November 9, 2005.

On December 19, he was called up by the Canucks and made his NHL debut two days later against the Edmonton Oilers.

In the first period of the contest, he scored his first NHL goal against goaltender Jussi Markkanen.

It was his first shot on his first shift.

Playing in his fifth game with the club ten days later, he suffered a broken fibula against the Minnesota Wild.

Upon recovering, he was returned to the Moose and finished the regular season with 15 points (9 goals and 6 assists) in 49 AHL games.

He played in 13 playoff games with Manitoba, and recorded a goal and an assist as the Moose were eliminated in the second round.

Following the 2010–11 NHL season, Rypien signed with the Winnipeg Jets, but died before joining his new team.

His death was ruled a suicide and had been preceded by a history of clinical depression, for which he had had two personal leaves of absence from the Canucks.

In the wake of Rypien's death, the Canucks and the Jets started an initiative to help others with mental illness.