Another sad end: Rick Rypien found dead at age 27

The Globe & Mail’s James Mirtle reports that former Vancouver Canucks enforcer Rick Rypien was found dead at his Alberta home. Rypien was just 27 years old and had just signed a one-year, $700K contract with the Winnipeg Jets in June. His cousin Angela confirmed his death via two heartfelt Tweets.

It’s difficult not to think about Derek Boogaard’s untimely death when hearing about this news because both enforcers were very young and died just months apart (Boogaard died in May at the age of 28).

Details regarding his death have not been revealed yet, but Mirtle provided a brief update in this story.

Former Vancouver Canucks tough guy Rick Rypien was found dead by a family member on Monday in Crowsnest Pass, Alta.

Rypien, who signed with the Winnipeg Jets in July, had missed most of last season because of a leave of absence from the Canucks for personal issues.

Local RCMP told The Globe and Mail on Monday night that the death was not suspicious.

Update: Bob Addision of News 1130 reports that Rypien committed suicide (H/T to

Greg Wyshynski), but that hasn’t been confirmed or denied by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police just yet. We’ll keep you informed as more details arrive, but until then, let’s take a quick look back at Rypien’s career.

Rypien played in 119 regular season games with the Canucks, scoring nine goals and seven assists for 16 points while racking up 226 penalty minutes. He played in 17 postseason games with Vancouver, collecting three assists and 43 PIM. He’s participated in 38 fights at the NHL-level (including preseason games), according to Hockey Fights.com. Sadly, many will remember him for his altercation with a Minnesota Wild fan, which earned him a six-game suspension. Rypien also took a leave of absence in November 2010 to try to deal with his personal issues.

If Rypien’s last name seems familiar to sports fans, it’s no accident. He’s the son of Wes Rypien, a former Canadian boxer and the cousin of Mark Rypien, an NFL quarterback who helped the Washington Redskins win Super Bowl XXVI.

Update: True North and the Winnipeg Jets released this statement about Rypien’s death.

“We are deeply saddened to confirm Rick’s passing. As many people are aware, he had strong ties to True North Sports & Entertainment, the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club, the former Manitoba Moose Hockey Club and the Vancouver Canucks. We would like to express our sincere sympathies to the Rypien family as well as Rick’s friends. We also appreciate all of the support that has come pouring in from Rick’s fans. Rick was a talented player with an extremely bright future. His hunger for the game made him a valued team member both on and off the ice. This loss has impacted us as more than just a hockey team.”

The Vancouver Canucks also released a statement about Rypien:

“It is with tremendous sadness that the Vancouver Canucks confirm the passing of Rick Rypien. Rick has been a beloved member of the Canucks family for the past six years. Rick was a great teammate and friend to our players, coaches and staff. We send our deepest condolences to the Rypien family at this most difficult time.”

Here’s a statement from NHL Players Association executive director Donald Fehr:

“All Players and NHLPA staff are saddened to learn of Rick’s passing. He was a respected member of our Association and will be greatly missed throughout the hockey community. Our sincere condolences go out to Rick’s family, friends and many fans.”