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Fans, former teammates and foes remember Rick Rypien

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James

Many people were stunned by the sad news that former Vancouver Canucks tough guy Rick Rypien died at the age of 27. Canucks fans quickly put together plans to mourn his death (or “celebrate his life”) at Rogers Arena on Wednesday, while a makeshift memorial has already been constructed, according to the Vancouver Sun.

While this is by no means a comprehensive collection (there are simply too many recollections and dedications out there), here are a few more articles, Tweets and other items from fans, former teammates and even a few former opponents of Rypien. Feel free to share some of your own favorite stories about the enforcer in the comments.

Former teammates and opponents

Jeff Marek did a great job of collecting some of the most notable Twitter tributes. Here are a handful of the most interesting ones.

Andrew Ladd (@aladd16): Sad to hear about Rick Rypien. I was looking forward to playing with him in Winnipeg. Thoughts are with his family and friends #RIPRypien

Mike Commodore (@commie22): RIP Rick Rypie. He was a warrior. Hit me so hard my eyes couldn’t focus for 30 secs. Not sure if it was a left or right.

Bill Sweatt (@billysweatt): Tragic story. #rickrypien found dead. This is just terrible. RIP rick. You were a great teammate and friend.

Paul Bissonnette (@BizNasty2point0): Just heard the terrible news about Rick Rypien. One of the toughest pound for pound guys in the league. He had no fear. Sad day.

Eric Fehr (@ericfehr): Unbelievably sad news on the passing of Rick Rypien..One of the toughest players I ever played against..Thoughts and prayers with his family


The National Post’s Tim Campbell caught up with Jason Jaffray, Rypien’s former teammate with the both the Canucks and the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. Jaffray seemed to be one of the people who took Rypien’s death the hardest.

“Rick was a guy everybody loved having on his team,” Jaffray said Monday night from his home in Olds, Alta. “You hated to play against him. You loved him in your dressing room because you knew he’d have your back, especially if your top-end guys were run over or taken advantage of. He be the first to step up.

“He cared, and you loved him in there having your back. He was one of those foot soldiers that brings the team together.”


Jaffray also echoed the sentiments of many other players, who found it remarkable that Rypien was willing to fight enforcers who often held massive height and/or weight advantages over him.

Read this post for statements from the Canucks, the Winnipeg Jets (who recently signed him to a one-year contract) and the NHLPA.

Fan reactions

Again, it’s nearly impossible to capture the downpour of emotions from fans regarding Rypien’s death. Here are some of the reactions that we came across in the last several hours, though.

Alixis Wright provided a very personal account of one of her favorite players, whom she gave the unlikely nickname “Mermaid.”

I didn’t know Rypien; not personally. But he was important and special to me in that sort of strange, inexplicable fan with a favourite player kind of way. When I went to training camp in 2009, Rypien sat on the ice to stretch and looked exactly like a mermaid. Mermaid was probably the most ridiculous nickname in history for one of the toughest fighters in the league but that’s what I called him from then on. He was fun to watch, fighting guys much taller and heavier than he was and making it look graceful. He was fast and an underrated passer. I really thought he had the potential to be more than a fighter.

I was so fond of Rypien because in a small way he made me into a tougher person. I’m naturally shy and it hasn’t always been easy to stand up for myself. Rypien always stood up for himself on the ice no matter what the other guy looked like. When I wear my Rypien jersey I feel tough. I stand up taller and I walk with swagger as the kids are saying these days. I can handle myself. It’s silly but it’s true.

Alanah McGinley looks back at Rypien’s leave of absence and struggles with depression.

In all honesty, I don’t know whether Rypien could have ever been a great deal more than the player that he was, but I do firmly believe he was more than just some random tough guy. He voluntarily risked a promising and lucrative career in order to try healing his personal demons. Living in the public eye—not to mention within the tough-guy culture of hockey—that took a lot of guts.

The NHL isn’t a business that tolerates imperfection well, largely because it doesn’t have to. While it may sound cruel, there are too many players of Rypien’s skill level to make anyone irreplaceable. But in spite of that, he stepped away from his hockey career more than once in order to take care of himself, and then fought his way back into the business. Literally and figuratively.

Again, these are just two of the fan reactions and a handful of player tributes; there are a lot more out there. Hopefully this gives you a better idea about who Rypien was and what he meant to fans and teammates alike.