Playing career Rick Rypien

rypien during canucks 2009 training camp

rypien remained moose start 2007–08 season, failing make canucks roster out of training camp. within half-a-month, recalled vancouver. playing against detroit red wings on october 24, 2007, rypien broke finger in left hand. after being sidelined 16 games, reassigned moose on december 4. splitting remainder of season between manitoba , vancouver, called on 2 separate occasions (january 13–16 , february 26–april 8, 2008). , finished regular season 14 points (3 goals , 11 assists) in 34 ahl games , 3 points (1 goal , 2 assists) in 22 nhl games. in 2008 calder cup playoffs, went pointless in 6 games moose eliminated in first round syracuse crunch. during off-season, rypien re-signed restricted free agent canucks on july 23, 2008.

the following season, rypien made canucks line-up out of training camp first time in career. after scoring 2 goals in first 5 games in 2008–09, suffered sports hernia on october 19, 2008. upon recovering, granted indefinite leave of absence personal reasons. canucks organization alluded rypien s history of injuries main reason him not returning team. assistant general manager lorne henning stated s wearing on him - s frustrating him. has deal injuries … , wrap head around it. later made known, following death, rypien struggling clinical depression. returned after 70-game absence on march 31, 2009, in contest against minnesota wild. appeared in 12 games canucks in 2008–09, recording 3 goals , no assists. season marked vancouver s return playoffs after failing qualify previous season. after eliminating st. louis blues in first round, defeated in 6 games chicago blackhawks. rypien appeared in ten canucks playoff games , recorded 2 points (both assists) while playing on fourth-line alongside darcy hordichuk , ryan johnson. recorded first playoff point in game 4 of second round against chicago, assisting on hordichuk goal spin-o-rama pass.

set become unrestricted free agent on july 1, 2009, rypien re-signed two-year deal canucks on may 27. rypien continued play on canucks fourth line in 2009–10. during game against st. louis blues on december 31, 2009, automatically ejected after fight opponent cam janssen revealed hands illegally taped below wrist support sprained finger. avoiding major injury first time in nhl career, recorded career-highs of 8 points (4 goals , 4 assists) in 69 games.

rypien began 2010–11 nhl season on injured reserve once again, missing first 2 games upper body injury. after returning line-up, rypien became infamously involved in fan-related incident during away game @ xcel energy center against minnesota wild on october 19, 2010. after fighting opposing forward brad staubitz in first period, 2 players met again in second period , prepared fight before being restrained game officials. before walking down tunnel towards canucks dresing room, wild fan james engquist called towards rypien, way professional , while clapping. rypien grabbed engquist jersey before letting go , walking away. rypien suspended indefinitely pending in-person disciplinary hearing altercation. nhl suspended rypien 6 games , fined canucks $25,000, while nhl commissioner gary bettman called engquist apologize , offered him dinner , tickets game. in response, fan stated that, although had not yet hired lawyer, seeking legal representation. rypien meanwhile told media had apologized team , league, describing actions inexcusable.

after having served suspension, rypien struggled remain in canucks line-up , made regular healthy scratch. in late-november 2010, canucks allowed him personal leave of absence. @ time, began speculated in media rypien suffering mental health issues. while canucks organization withheld details regarding rypien s situation, general manager mike gillis stated publicly when come know , realize re person…you don t support them when re @ top of game…you support them when re not feeling things or have other issues have deal with. on march 8, 2011, rypien returned leave , assigned moose. nhl waived two-week limit allowed conditioning stint, allowing canucks leave him moose remainder of season , avoid salary cap hit. rypien completed final season canuck 1 assist on 9 games, while recording 2 assists in 11 ahl games. helped moose second round of playoffs, recording 1 goal in 7 post-season games, before eliminated hamilton bulldogs.

during off-season, rypien , canucks parted ways became unrestricted free agent on july 1, 2011. following day, rypien signed one-year, us$700,000 contract winnipeg jets. jets set begin inaugural season after franchise s atlanta thrashers relocated winnipeg, manitoba. under same ownership manitoba moose, rypien joined familiar organization in returning winnipeg. co-owner mark chipman recalled rypien s signing 1 of best days of [his] summer, adding beyond announcement of joining national hockey league…that s brought [jets return] full circle. prepared switch jersey number 37 11 jets, same number wore pats during junior career , moose when first joined them. rypien died before having opportunity join new team.