Canucks Fans plan memorial for ex-Vancouver player Rick Rypien moments after news of death
Rick Rypien, 1984-2011, might not have always been remembered as the jolliest of players, or even the nicest, after a few violent incidents with fans and many with other players on the ice, the former Canucks player had created a different public image for
himself as one of the bad boys in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Whatever the situation, after the news broke about the 27-year-olds death on Monday, August 15, at his home in Coleman, Alberta, Canada, a number of players came out with their emotions and paid homage with their last words to the player who had such a short
but colourful professional hockey career.
Winnipeg Jets captain, Andrew Ladd, also had something to say about the newly signed on player.
"Sad to hear about Rick Rypien", posted Jets captain Andrew Ladd on social networking website, Twitter. "I was looking forward to playing with him in Winnipeg. Thoughts are with his family and friends".
Rypien, an undrafted pickup from the minor league was mainly noticed for his well-rounded performance with Regina Pats team of the Western Hockey League (WHL), which triggered a sign-on by Vancouver Canucks. After six straight seasons with Vancouver, Rypien
was supposed to start the new season in October with Winnipeg Jets after signing a one-year, $700,000 contract with the newly relocated franchise.
Not even a day had gone by and fans had begun to organize events in memory of the player. The most noticeable is the Rick Rypien Celebration of Life event on social networking website, Facebook, which has invited over 1,200 people to the Roger Neilson statute
outside Vancouver’s Rogers Arena.
"We plan to bring a big book for everyone to write their condolences in and hopefully we will get the book to the Rypien family", says the event's Facebook page, which is also an open event for anyone to join.
Up until now, over 200 guests have disclosed themselves attending the event and the number continues to rise by the second. This shows that it is not only being a high scoring player that keeps you in the mind of others, but something you do somewhere that
keeps you alive forever.
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