Rick Rypien was born May 16, 1984 in Coleman, Alberta. A free-agent signing of the Vancouver Canucks, Rypien is a graduate of the WHL's Regina Pats.
A gritty forward, Rypien played three full seasons with Regina before making his professional debut with the AHL's Manitoba Moose in the latter stages of the 2004-05 season. After getting his feet wet in 2004-05, Rypien returned to Manitoba the following year while also seeing his first action with the parent club in Vancouver.
In Vancouver, Rypien earned a reputation as one of the toughest pound-for-pound fighters in the NHL. His gritty, fearless style made him a popular teammate and fan favourite.
In the summer of 2011, as an unrestricted free agent, Rypien inked a deal with the Winnipeg Jets.
Sadly, Rypien passed away unexpectedly on August 15, 2011.
