Rypien moves up the heavyweight ladder

[Killah_punk]

Rick Rypien, along with fellow Manitoba Moose call-up Kevin Bieksa, first reported to the Canucks in late December of 2005, sporting a shiner and seven stitches over his left eyebrow.


A reporter scrambling to find out who this undrafted former Regina Pat was called up the Moose website and was greeted with a slideshow of Rypien pounding Houston Aeros forward Bill Kinkel, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound left winger.


Sure enough, in his first game as a Canuck, Rypien made an immediate impact, nailing Colorado defenceman Brett Clark into the end boards behind the Colorado net on his first shift, then dropping the gloves with Ian Laperriere, who took exception to the hit.


The smaller Rypien won a decision, although both players went to their dressing rooms for repairs as blood was scraped off the ice.


Several fights, hits and long-term injuries, plus five NHL goals, have come since, culminating with Rypien's third-period fight with Hal Gill of the Canadiens on Wednesday night.


Understand, Gill stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 250 pounds; Rypien is 5-foot-10ish and 175-poundish. He comes up to Gill's armpits, yet landed four solid lefts to the Hab's face, holding his right forearm out like a Roman legionnaire brandishing a shield.


It was Rypien's first tilt of the regular season, after a double card at Terrace during Kraft Hockeyville, in which he made up for losing a spirited decision against 6-foot-1, 200-pound Jeremy Reich by pummeling 6-foot-5, 245-pound Andy Sutton to the ice later on.


At this rate Rypien will have to wait until Feb. 6, when the Canucks visit 6-foot-9, 260-pounder Zdeno Chara and the Bruins, for his next fight if he's going to keep climbing up the heavyweight ladder.

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/ho...939/story.html

[RetardedChimp]

*sigh*

People are going to be so shocked when he gets smashed by a legit heavy when he fights one if they keep building him up like this.

[hockeybooks]

Originally Posted by RetardedChimp

*sigh*

People are going to be so shocked when he gets smashed by a legit heavy when he fights one if they keep building him up like this.

typical 604 reaction cuz we love our underdogs

and reasonable folks aren't hoping he jumps laraque or brashear

if he acts as a deterrent to pests like avery, ruutu, etc

then he'll continue to be a fan fave

[2,5,10GameMatch]

Rypien has the skills comparable to a guy who I always loved, Todd Gill, Gill's hand speed and switching capabilities enabled him to hang with top guys SOMETIMES but at other times he just didnt have the mass to keep up with all of them, I think Rypien will have some success against top guys, I see him suprising a few big dummies, (Gill vs Otto like) but he will take a beating or three too if he tries the big boys.

I do think there is no doubt that he's the "pound for pound" champ of the NHL, if this guy was even 6'2" 215LBS, he'd probably punch out everyone.

[Gunslinger]

Originally Posted by hockeybooks

typical 604 reaction cuz we love our underdogs

and reasonable folks aren't hoping he jumps laraque or brashear

if he acts as a deterrent to pests like avery, ruutu, etc

then he'll continue to be a fan fave

Actually, the article finishes with ..."climb up the heavyweight ladder...". So somebody(many on this site) are hoping. Better get on the bandwagon now before he gets knocked off.

[stevecanuck16]

Originally Posted by Gunslinger

Actually, the article finishes with ..."climb up the heavyweight ladder...". So somebody(many on this site) are hoping. Better get on the bandwagon now before he gets knocked off.

I don't think the general media can be relied upon to provide realistic commentary on the fighting game. To be totally honest, the members on this side are probably the most qualified "experts" on fighting in the NHL that could be found. And I don't think anyone on here is expecting Rypien to climb the heavyweight ranks.

[Gunslinger]

The more rational balanced posters fall into the category you mentioned and I agree totally with you. However there are some who jump on the "flavour of the month" and think that a good young tough guy comes along and must be the second coming of Bob Probert. Unfortunatley, there are a few of those on this site also.

[McLovin]

Didn't he get beat up by Doug Murray?

[mongoose]

Originally Posted by McLovin

Didn't he get beat up by Doug Murray?

believe he did.

[stevecanuck16]

Originally Posted by Gunslinger

The more rational balanced posters fall into the category you mentioned and I agree totally with you. However there are some who jump on the "flavour of the month" and think that a good young tough guy comes along and must be the second coming of Bob Probert. Unfortunatley, there are a few of those on this site also.

Oh, of course. However, they usually get belittled constantly, so they're pretty easy to pick out.