Former Vancouver Canuck Rick Rypien has been found dead in his Alberta home.
RCMP say they were called to the 27-year-old forward's Coleman home on Monday, and his death is not considered suspicious, according to a report by The Globe and Mail.
Rypien signed with the newly returned Winnipeg Jets in July, and the team confirmed his death Monday evening.
The Jets issued a statement addressing Rypien's death.
"We would like to express our sincere sympathies to the Rypien family as well as Rick's friends. We also appreciate all of the support that has come pouring in from Rick's fans," the team said.
"Rick was a talented player with an extremely bright future. His hunger for the game made him a valued team member both on and off the ice. This loss has impacted us as more than just a hockey team."
The six-year NHL veteran played in only nine games with the Canucks last season before leaving the team for personal reasons and eventually being put on injured reserve.
Management for the Vancouver team also expressed their sadness over the death in a statement to the media.
"Rick has been a beloved member of the Canucks family for the past six years. Rick was a great teammate and friend to our players, coaches and staff. We send our deepest condolences to the Rypien family at this most difficult time," the statement reads.
Rypien was loaned to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL late in the last season for conditioning, and signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Winnipeg Jets this off-season.
The Coleman native had 16 points and 226 penalty minutes in 119 career regular season games, all with the Canucks.
This is the second death of an NHL player in the last three months. Former Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers tough guy Derek Boogaard died in May because of a fatal mix of alcohol and oxycodone.
With files from TSN - The Sports Network and The Canadian Press
