Rick Rypien

Early life

Rypien was born in Blairmore, Alberta, a community within the municipality of Crowsnest Pass, and raised in nearby Coleman, which had a population of about 1,000. His father, Wes Rypien, was a Canadian boxing champion and also played hockey; his mother was Shelley. An older brother, Wes Jr., played in the WHL and later in the ECHL. Rypien was the second cousin of NHL enforcer Shane Churla, and his cousin Mark Rypien was an NFL quarterback named most valuable player of Super Bowl XXVI; another cousin, Brett, played for the Denver Broncos from 2020 to 2022. He began minor hockey with the Pass Rangers from Coleman, coached by his father, at age five or six. His favourite players were Wendel Clark and Eric Lindros. During his second season with the Regina Pats, his girlfriend died in a car accident while traveling to watch him play in Calgary.

Playing career

Rypien started his junior career in 2001–02 with the Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves of the Alberta Junior A Hockey League (AJHL), recording 22 points over 57 games, and also played one game with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He earned a spot with the Pats as a walk-on after going unselected in the WHL Bantam Draft, and served as team captain during his three-year tenure. As a WHL rookie in 2002–03 he scored 18 points in 50 games; the next season he improved to 45 points in 65 games.

In his final year with Regina he set career highs with 22 goals, 29 assists and 51 points, and received three team awards: most valuable player, the Bill Hicke Award as fans' choice for most popular player, and the Molson Cup for most three-star selections. Undrafted out of junior, he was contacted by Manitoba Moose general manager Craig Heisinger and signed to an amateur tryout for the remainder of the 2004–05 AHL season, recording a goal and an assist in eight regular-season games and no points in fourteen playoff contests.

He earned an AHL contract for 2005–06, attended Vancouver Canucks training camp, and signed a two-way contract with the Canucks on November 9, 2005. Called up on December 19, he made his NHL debut two days later against the Edmonton Oilers, scoring his first NHL goal on his first shot during his first shift. In his fifth game he suffered a broken fibula against the Minnesota Wild. After recovering he was returned to the Moose, finishing the regular season with 15 points in 49 AHL games and adding a goal and an assist in 13 playoff games as Manitoba was eliminated in the second round.

Depression and suicide

During the 2008 training camp, the Vancouver Canucks learned about Rypien's clinical depression and arranged his treatment for the rest of his time with the team. Defenceman Kevin Bieksa was the first teammate Rypien told about his condition. In the 2008–09 season, during his first leave, Rypien went missing. Bieksa met Manitoba Moose general manager Craig Heisinger in Edmonton, and together they drove to Rypien's home in Alberta to find him.

Bieksa then brought Rypien back to Vancouver to stay with his own young family, where Rypien grew close to Bieksa's son, which inspired him to want to help children. After returning from his leave, the Canucks sent him to the Manitoba Moose. In Winnipeg, he spoke publicly about his time away, saying he had made significant personal progress. About six weeks after signing with the Winnipeg Jets, Rypien was found dead at his home in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta on August 15, 2011.

He had been scheduled to fly to Winnipeg on August 14 for a knee evaluation the next day. When he missed the appointment, Heisinger, now the Jets' assistant general manager, tried to find him. Heisinger later told the press that Rypien had been dealing with depression for over a decade.