"Best Canucks fighter ever."
That's how one Twitter user is remembering Rick Rypien, the Vancouver Canucks enforcer who died one year ago Wednesday (August 15).
Fans were expected to gather at Rogers Arena plaza throughout the day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. to pay tribute to Rypien, who was found dead in his Coleman, Alberta home on August 15, 2011, the Province reports.
Books were to be made available for fans to sign and opportunities were to be made for fans to write letters and notes that would be forwarded to the Canucks organization.
Meanwhile, members of the Canucks roster are expected to partake on September 4 in the "RaiseIt4Ryp" golf tournament that raises funds for mindcheck.ca, a charity that raises awareness of mental health issues.
Rypien battled depression for a decade prior to his death. He had twice taken leaves of absences while with the Canucks organization, the Globe and Mail reported.
Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said at the time of Rypien's death that when the player was in an environment he could control, he was great, but then when he was in an environment he felt he couldn't control, he had "great difficulty."
In 119 NHL games, Rypien put up nine goals, 16 points and 226 penalty minutes. Prior to his death he signed with the Winnipeg Jets alongside friend and former Canucks teammate Jason Jaffray.
Here's how hockey fans remembered Rypien on Twitter.
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