Rick Rypien Rick Joseph Rypien ( May 16 , 1984 – August 15 , 2011 ) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player . He spent four seasons with the Regina Pats , a major junior team in the Western Hockey League before being signed by the Manitoba Moose in 2005 . He joined the Vancouver Canucks at the start of the 2005 – 06 National Hockey League season , and remained with the club until the end of the 2010 – 11 NHL season . Rypien had signed with the Winnipeg Jets prior to the start of the 2011 – 12 NHL season . Playing career . Rypien joined the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League ( WHL ) after playing one season in the Alberta Junior Hockey League for the Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves . Unselected in the annual WHL Bantam Draft , Rypien earned a spot with the Pats . While with Regina , he served as the team captain . After posting 45 points in 2002 – 03 , he received three team awards , being named team MVP , the fans ' choice as most popular player ( Bill Hicke Award ) and the Molson Cup champion , receiving the most three star selections . Undrafted out of junior , he signed with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League ( AHL ) to an amateur tryout late in the 2004 – 05 season . He completed the season with the Moose and early the next season , he was signed to an NHL contract by Manitoba ' s parent club , the Vancouver Canucks on November 9 , 2005 . He made his NHL debut for the Vancouver Canucks against the Edmonton Oilers on December 21 , 2005 , and scored his first NHL goal on his first shot in the first period . However , playing in his fifth game with the club , he suffered a broken fibula against the Minnesota Wild . He played five games total for the Canucks during his professional rookie season to go with 15 points in 49 games with the Moose . Competing for a roster spot in training camp for the 2006 – 07 season , Rypien injured his thumb in a fight in a game against the Anaheim Ducks , sidelining him for two months . After recovering , he was sidelined once again with a partially torn groin muscle in his second game back with the Canucks . He completed the majority of the season with the Moose , recording 6 points in 14 games . Early in the 2007 – 08 season , Rypien injured a finger in a game against the Detroit Red Wings on October 24 , 2007 . Once recovered , he split the season with the Moose , with 14 points in 34 games , and the Canucks , tallying 3 points in 22 games . After playing in five games in 2008 – 09 , he continued to be plagued with injuries , suffering a sports hernia in October . Upon recovering , however , the Canucks declared he was taking an indefinite leave of absence due to a personal matter , alluding to Rypien ' s history of constant injuries as the main reason for him not returning to the team . Assistant general manager Lorne Henning stated that " It ' s just wearing on him now - it ' s frustrating for him . He just has to deal with the injuries . . . and wrap his head around it . " He returned after a 70 - game absence on March 31 , 2009 , in a game against the Minnesota Wild . In the 2009 off - season , Rypien signed a two - year extension with the Canucks on May 27 , 2009 . During a game against the St . Louis Blues on December 31 , 2009 , he was automatically ejected after a fight with opponent Cam Janssen revealed his hands were illegally taped below the wrist , because of a sprained finger . On October 19 , 2010 , in a game against the Minnesota Wild at the Xcel Energy Center , Rypien pushed a linesman , and while heading down the tunnel , he reached into the stands and grabbed a fan by the chest who had been clapping and had yelled out " way to be professional " . After grabbing the fan Rypien started to pull him into the tunnel before being restrained by his coach and teammates . Rypien was suspended indefinitely pending an in - person disciplinary hearing about the altercation . As a result of the in - person meeting , the NHL suspended Rypien for six games and fined the Canucks $ 25 , 000 . Following the suspension hearing , NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman called the fan to apologize and offered him dinner and tickets to another game , after which the fan stated that , although he had not yet hired a lawyer , he would be " definitely seeking legal representation . " Rypien meanwhile told media he had apologized to his team and the league , describing his actions as " inexcusable . " After having served his suspension , Rypien struggled to remain in the Canucks ' lineup and was made a regular healthy scratch . In late - November 2010 , the Canucks allowed him another personal leave of absence . It was widely speculated in the media Rypien was suffering from mental health issues . While the Canucks organization withheld any details regarding Rypien ' s situation , general manager Mike Gillis stated publicly that " when you come to know somebody and realize they ' re a really good person . . . You don ' t only support them when they ' re at the top of their game . . . you support them when they ' re not feeling good about things or have other issues they have to deal with . " By March 2011 , Rypien was ready to play again and was assigned to the Moose . The NHL waived the two - week limit allowed for a conditioning stint , allowing the Canucks to leave him with the Moose for the remainder of the season and avoid his salary cap hit . On July 2 , 2011 , Rypien signed a one - year , $ 700 , 000 contract with the Winnipeg Jets , but died before the team began training camp . Personal life . Rypien was born in Blairmore , Alberta , a community within the municipality of Crowsnest Pass , Alberta on May 16 , 1984 . He was raised in the Crowsnest Pass community of Coleman , Alberta where he began his minor ice hockey career in the Crowsnest Pass Minor Hockey Association . Rypien was the son of Wes Rypien who was a Canadian boxing champion ; Rypien ' s older brother , Wes , also played in the WHL , as well as several seasons in the ECHL . Rypien was also a cousin of former National Football League quarterback Mark Rypien , who was named the most valuable player of Super Bowl XXVI . A family member found Rypien dead in his Crowsnest Pass , Alberta , home August 15 , 2011 , with the cause of death confirmed as suicide . Rypien had suffered depression for more than ten years . < ref name = " http : / / www . tsn . ca / nhl / story / ? id = 373892 " > < / ref >