Winnipeg Jets forward Rick Rypien was found dead Monday in his Alberta home. Crowsnest Pass RCMP responded to a death in Coleman, Alta., at 12:30 p.m. They found a deceased male and ruled the death non-suspicious.
The 5-foot-11, 194-pounder, who was never afraid to drop the mitts with anyone in the NHL or AHL, quickly parlayed that opportunity into an NHL contract with the Canucks. He appeared in 119 games between 2006 and 2010, notching nine goals, seven assists and 226 penalty minutes.
Rypien became an NHL free agent on July 1 and signed one-year, $700,000 deal with the Jets the next day.
Rypien battled with depression and was granted an indefinite leave of absence last season to deal with an undisclosed personal matter.
True North Sports and Entertainment issued a press release on the matter of Rypien's passing.
