Rypien's Redemption

Rick Rypien has not followed the typical path of your average NHL player, typical being the easy road. The road where a young star is a sure thing, a "can't miss" kid who is making scouts run out of ink. Rypien has not been drafted at any level of hockey since he was a Bantam player in Southern Alberta. The CHL didn't draft him, and the NHL didn't draft him, suffice to say he has worked hard to get to where he is today.

Rypien played for the Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves in a South-Western Albertan town with a population of under 6,000 people that was not your typical hockey hotbed. After a year with the Timberwolves, and going undrafted in the WHL Bantam draft, Rypien joined the Regina Pats. With the Pats he finally had the chance to prove himself at a prestigious junior level. He spent four years in Regina fine tuning his game, became the team Captain and leading scorer in 2004/2005 with 51 Points to go along with 148 PIMs. Rypien yet again had shown that he deserved to play, that he was working hard to get the puck in the net, and wasn't afraid to play in the dirty areas of the ice. When his junior career came to a close in Regina, he was signed as an undrafted Free Agent by the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. It was hard work that got him to that level, but he had to forge his own path the the NHL. Not to say getting drafted is an automatic cakewalk to the Show, as there are many more drafted players who fell down the ladder than those undrafted who were never afforded the luxury of being in a team's "system" that actually made it; players like Rypien, who seemingly slipped through the cracks.

Photo from Vancouver Canucks

Rypien's road to success has never been without its potholes. He was never big enough, never fast enough and never talented enough for a free-ride (or even an easy one), but he found a way to be. He came from a small town, went undrafted throughout his career, jumped through hoops, yet made it all the way to the Big Show. He was called up by Vancouver, but quickly became a victim of injuries. He had a hard time sticking to the lineup due to these various injuries, including a broken finger, a pulled groin, a viral infection and finally missing 70 games in 2008/2009 with a sports hernia. He briefly took a leave of absence from the team; many believe it was the frustrations of being injured, and missing so much time with the team when he had finally made it. No doubt it wore on him, but nothing of the sort has ever been truly confirmed. It's a realistic scenario considering how players like Rypien are required to bring a rough game, physically and emotionally, all the time.

The recent incident in Minnesota brought an instant spotlight to Rypien, something the overlooked player has never really had to deal with through his career. It was a difficult event to watch as a fan, and I am sure a difficult one for him to face up to, as we all knew how much heat he would catch directly following it. He lost his cool and reacted inappropriately, but I do understand why he reacted the way that he did in the heat of the moment. It happens to humans. It happens to the hockey players who feel something about the game. Violence should be kept on the ice at all times, and always within the context of that game; but every so often that passion for the game spills over into real life and is rightfully punished, as was the case with Rypien.

When someone tells him that he is 'not professional' I have no doubt in my mind that it stung him. That was probably the worst part of punishment, being thought of as less of a hockey player. He has since apologized, and received a 6 game suspension from the NHL (which was completely fair and logical). Rypien plays the game hard, sometimes a little recklessly, but that won't change, and the fans love him for it. In a real sense, these are all the things that make someone more of a hockey player. That is how he earned his spot in the league. He has spent the past 15-20 years of his life becoming a professional. Rypien now comes back from his suspension with something to prove to the league and to his team, once again.

“The fact that they're in my corner and helped me out, I'm very thankful for that. My mindset now is I want to make them proud and make it up to them and do the very best I can.”
- Rick Rypien
Source: Vancouver Sun

He needs to prove that he has learned he cannot be a sideshow, he cannot be a distraction, and every time he steps on the ice he knows that he has to earn his next shift (as a 4th liner often does). Despite everything that has happened, he is a team player, a glue guy that is going to make sure he sticks in the NHL for as long as he can.

Flatly, he deserves a lot of credit for the hard work that he has put into his game (Video: Meet Young Canuck Rick Rypien), and his teammates thrive off of that work ethic. They perhaps see someone that has not had it as easy as them, someone who has clawed and scratched to get to where they were practically guaranteed to be; and that should be something that inspires all hockey players. Rypien is a heart and soul player, someone who has shown sacrifice and love of the game. Someone who has put his body and persona on the line to become arguably the 'pound for pound' toughest guy in the league. He is the type of player that only the home fans love, and is hated by pretty much the balance of the league. I think that when we put it in perspective we can see him as an everyman, someone that has earned his spot, and while he crossed the line with his actions, I believe that he is someone that we should be rooting for, not against. Let's hope his road to redemption is paved a lot smoother than his road to the NHL.

We should all keep in mind that while the fan in Minnesota paid for his seats and his jersey, Rick Rypien had to earn his.