'Nucks IceMan

Rick "The Ripper" Rypien

Written by: Larry “The Nucks IceMan” Johnson

How can you not like Canucks Rick “The Ripper” Rypien? Just go to his Facebook page and read all the warm wishes people have written on his wall. He is indeed one of my favourite Canucks.

Rick is like a lot of us in life, and maybe that’s why we relate to him so easily.

He is the epitome of the underdog that has had to always struggle and fight for everything that he wanted in his life. Not big in stature at only 5’11”, 190 pounds, Rypien has clawed and scrapped for every inch towards a kid’s dream of playing professional hockey in the NHL.

From the time that he was a bantam, going undrafted by Junior Hockey clubs, he has made that tough and slow climb to get where he wanted to be.

Rick was born in 1984 in a small Alberta town called Coleman which has a recent (2006) population stated as 1,065. With numbers like that it is not really a town but more of a village.  Coleman can be found in the southwest part of Alberta near the Rocky Mountains and lies within the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass.

Rick started his journey playing on the local team, the Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves of the Albert Junior Hockey League, in 2001-02. At seventeen most aspiring NHL players would have been playing in the Major Junior Hockey League but Rypien was not your prototype player for the role he played at only 170 pounds.

It didn’t take him long to be noticed though, as he racked up 143PIM in 57 games and also scored 12G, 10A. This caught the eye of the WHL Regina Pats organization and they invited him to play one game for them that same season.

The Pats liked what they saw and Rick went on to play three more seasons with Regina, his last as an over-age Junior, and he made quite an impression on the management, his teammates, and the fans who loved him.

Best pound for pound fighter in the NHL, thats Rick Rypien

This was recognized by the team and fans who showered him with awards. He received team MVP, fans’ choice as most popular player (the Bill Hicke Award) and the Molson Cup champion, receiving the most three star selections.

Now Rick did have a bit of an advantage. He came by his proficient fighting technique through his father Wes, who at one time was a Golden Gloves Canadian Champion at around the age of 19 or 20. Rick has learned to fight with both hands, which is typical of a boxer who switches between a jab, punch and counter punch.

Not only that, but Rick has learned to block punches with his arms, which made a lot players confused when this smaller guy was blocking the hay-makers they were throwing, and then decking them with a straight right or left.  Just ask NHL Flames Zack Stortini, or perhaps Canadiens Hal Gill, all 6’7”, 241 pounds of him.

Ripper is also known for a barrage of punches at the start of a fight and if you’re not ready you could be in trouble. But back to the hockey. If only Rick could have been as big as his brother Wes Jr. who is 6’2″ and 190 pounds, and who also played in the WHL and ECHL.

The 2003-04 season saw the emergence of Rypien the goal scorer (19G, 26A) probably because he had earned his reputation as a player you shouldn’t mess with (186PIM), which tends to give you a bit more room on the ice.

Rypien’s final year (2004-05) as an over-age junior was his best with 22G, 29A and 148PIM. Unfortunately during his days with the Pats and his style of play, he could never get through a whole season uninjured, as witnessed by the number of games played (50, 65, 63).

During part of Rypien’s time with the Pats, he also served as their captain.

All of this hard work in junior though did not earn Rypien a look in the NHL Entry Draft and so in late 2004-05 he signed an amateur tryout with the Vancouver Canucks’ farm team, the Manitoba Moose. He played in eight games registering 1G, 1A but then the Moose went into the playoffs.

Rick Rypien against Wilds - Brad Staubitz

Although Rick did not have any points in 14 playoff games he did make himself noticed with 35PIM. This led to an NHL contract with the Vancouver Canucks in November of 2005.

Rypien’ s first full season with the AHL Moose saw him post 9G, 6A and 122PIM in 49 games. He also played in 13 playoff games with the Moose.

That season was his first venture into the NHL with the Canucks where he played in five games and scored one goal and had 4PIM, which was very low for the Ripper.

For the next two seasons Rypien bounced back and forth between the Moose and Canucks before earning a regular spot on the Canucks’ fourth line in 2007-08.

Unfortunately injuries have plagued Rypien, with the number of games since that time being 12 (2008-09) and 69 (2009-10).

You all know about Rypien’s run-in with a fan in Minnesota so I will not rehash that again. Which brings us to his current status. Rick has been granted an indefinite leave of absence from the Canucks, with no mention of a reason for it.

Rick Rypien

I could go on for another two to three pages but I’ll leave you with my final thought on Rick.

Pound for pound Rick Rypien is the best fighter in the NHL, with the heart of  a lion. But that’s not why I really pull for him.

It’s his spirit, love for the game, and from what I can see, being a stand up guy. I really am pulling for him and hope he will battle through whatever the problem is and return to the game, because his will to compete and do anything for the team is missed, and by more than just me.

And isn’t that what life’s all about, battling back from adversity?

As always, you can also find me @twitter.com/nucksiceman.com, @slapshot.com and @communities.canada.com/VANCOUVERSUN/blogs/fanattic/default.aspx

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