Late Rick Rypien, Winnipeg Jets assistant GM Craig Heisinger formed close friendship before death
Everyone around the world seems to feel immense pain for Rick Rypien, who was most notable for his time spent with Vancouver Canucks in the National Hockey League (NHL), as one of their most colourful players in history, but others had a bond with him which
was certainly a devastating loss for them.
One of the people who were extraordinarily close to the aggressive centre player was Winnipeg Jets' senior vice president and director of hockey operations/assistant general manager, Craig Heisinger.
Both were not only very close professionally but also good friends as well, since it was Heisinger, who initially as general manager of Manitoba Moose, picked up the 27-year-old and gave him a chance to shine, which he certainly did.
Heisinger was at a loss for words when he was describing his relationship for Rypien, but managed to portray someone you would not meet everyday.
"He was a real good guy", Heisinger said of Rypien. "He was a safe, simple guy. He barely had a bank account".
Rick Rypien, a native of Coleman, Alberta, Canada, the place where he was found dead on Monday at his home, professionally was very sound, but had his issues like everyone else does, but no one ever thought that it could reach up to this point.
Jason Jaffray, a long time friend and former teammate, who was also expected to be playing alongside Rypien in Winnipeg, does not think it was the stress or any mental problem which could have affected the rowdy centre.
"Everyone knew he had some issues that he had to get taken care of last year, and he was definitely a new man when he came back and ... he was definitely the happiest I'd even seen him", Jaffray said
Vancouver Canucks general manager, Mike Gillis, also added after finding about the death of Rypien, that the young attackers was on his way to recovery supposedly, and the Winnipeg signing was supposed to be a new chapter in his life.
"We felt he was making progress in a lot of different areas. When he signed with Winnipeg, we were all really happy for him", said Gillis.
Describing Rypien as one of the most entertaining players to watch, Jets assistant GM, Criag Heisinger, just might not be able to ever find a friend like him again.
Tags: