Nick Kypreos was a feisty left-winger who was a big scorer in junior then adjusted to a fourth-line grinding role. He was lauded for his tireless work ethic and positive influence on team morale in a career that saw him play 442 games with four different teams.
Born in Toronto, Kypreos played four years with the North Bay Centennials of the OHL. Always a hard-nosed competitor, Kypreos scored 152 goals during his last 3 years of junior. He was signed as a free agent by the Philadelphia Flyers on the eve of his second junior season.
Kypreos played his first two pro seasons with the Hershey Bears of the AHL but never fit into the Flyers' plans. He was claimed on waivers by the Washington Capitals and played 31 games for them in 1989-90 and helped the team's playoff drive to the semi-finals. He was a solid role player for the Caps for two seasons before he was traded to the Hartford Whalers.
Kypreos scored a career high 27 points for the Whalers in 1992-93 then was traded the next year 1993 to the New York Rangers. He played 46 regular season games then three post-season matches while helping the team win its first Stanley Cup in 54 years.
In February 1996 Kypreos was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kypreos' playing career ended as a result of a concussion suffered in a pre-season game in September 1997 during a fight. A well-spoken leader as a player, Kypreos began the next phase of his life as a hockey analyst in Toronto.
