Vancouver Canucks’ Rick Rypien gets six-game suspension
Vancouver Canuck forward Rick Rypien was handed a six-game suspension for his altercation with a Minnesota Wild fan on Tuesday 19 October.
Rypien had been given an indefinite suspension by the National Hockey League in order to keep him out of the Canucks game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday 20 October, while the League decided
on the severity of the punishment. League disciplinarian Colin Campbell elected to give Rypien six games, a number which is much lower than what many expected.
Rypien engaged a Minnesota fan after being sent off for throwing a punch to the head of Wild forward Brad Staubitz while the player was tied up by a referee.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman commented on the suspension, reiterating the League’s stance on players getting involved with fans.
“Prior to each season, all clubs and player are advised that under no circumstances are club personnel permitted to have physical contact with fans, or enter, or attempt to enter the stands,” said the
League commissioner. “We hold NHL players to a high standard and there simply is no excuse for conduct of his nature. Fortunately, this incident is not typical of the way NHL players conduct themselves and is not typical of the way Mr. Rypien had conducted
himself during his career.”
Most NHL pundits predicted that Rypien would face at least a 10-game suspension for the altercation. The League likely took into account Rypien’s record as an NHL player before they made the decision to
hand the 26-year-old a less severe six-game ban. Although Rypien fills the role of enforcer he is generally a clean player, who plays within the parameters of the rules.
Rypien is set to return to the Canucks line-up on 6 November when the club takes on the Detroit Red Wings.
In three games this season Rypien has not managed a point, while accumulating 19 penalty minutes.
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