Mike Rupp
Rupp with the New York Rangers in 2012
Born (1980-01-13) January 13, 1980
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Height 6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight 243 lb (110 kg; 17 st 5 lb)
Position Center
Shot Left
Played for New Jersey Devils
Phoenix Coyotes
Columbus Blue Jackets
Pittsburgh Penguins
New York Rangers
Minnesota Wild
NHL Draft 9th overall, 1998
New York Islanders
76th overall, 2000
New Jersey Devils
Playing career 20002014

Michael Ryan Rupp (born January 13, 1980) is an American former professional ice hockey center. He has played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New Jersey Devils, Phoenix Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins,New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild.

Rupp scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal – and first Stanley Cup playoff goal of his career – in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals, which gave the Devils franchise its third Stanley Cup championship. Rupp serves as an analyst on NHL Network and AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh. He serves as a co-host of "That's Hockey Talk" with Nick Maraldo and Kyle "Gumpy" Cathcart, which comes out of the Pat McAfee Incorporated Studios.

Playing career

Rupp played high school hockey at St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio. He was originally drafted in the first round, ninth overall, by the New York Islanders in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. After remaining unsigned while still playing in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Erie Otters, however, Rupp opted to return to the NHL Entry Draft and was subsequently selected 76th overall in 2000 by the New Jersey Devils.

Rupp played his first professional season in 2000–01 with the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League (AHL), the top minor league affiliate of the Devils. He later made his NHL debut January 13, 2003 with the Devils,[1] where he helped the team win the Stanley Cup after scoring the Cup-clinching goal. Rupp is the only player in Stanley Cup history to have his first playoff goal be the Stanley Cup winning goal.[2]

The following season, in 2003–04, Rupp was traded by the Devils, along with a second-round draft pick, to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for Jan Hrdina on March 5, 2004.[3] After the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Rupp was traded with Jason Chimera and Cale Hulse to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Geoff Sanderson and Tim Jackman on October 8, 2005.[4] Columbus declined to submit Rupp, a restricted free agent, a qualifying offer in June 2006.

On July 9, 2006, Rupp signed a one-year, $450,000 contract to return to the New Jersey Devils.[5] After a successful season establishing himself as a gritty hardworking player, Rupp re-signed with the Devils on June 28, 2007, to a two-year contract.

Rupp wearing the Penguins third jersey in 2009

On July 1, 2009, Rupp signed a two-year, $1.65 million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. While scoring his first career hat-trick on November 30, 2009, against the New York Rangers, Rupp scored his sixth, seventh, and eighth goals for a new career-high just 28 games into the 2009–10 season.[6]

On July 1, 2011, Rupp signed a three-year, $4.5 million contract with the New York Rangers.[7] He scored two goals in the 2012 Winter Classic against the Philadelphia Flyers to help the Rangers prevail 3–2. After Rupp scored his first goal, he saluted the crowd in a similar, yet mocking, fashion to how then-Flyer Jaromír Jágr celebrates a goal; the mocking gesture immediately led to a retaliatory confrontation initiated by Philadelphia forward Scott Hartnell.

Rupp with the Penguins in 2010 fighting Columbus forward Jared Boll.
Rupp with the Rangers in 2011 fighting Ducks forward George Parros.

During the lockout-shortened, 48-game 2012–13 season, on February 4, 2013, Rupp was traded to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for forwards Darroll Powe and Nick Palmieri.[8]

On April 11, 2014, Rupp was suspended by the NHL for four games without pay for a "late illegal check to the head" of St. Louis Blues forward T. J. Oshie.[9]

Broadcasting career

Since retiring in 2014, Rupp serves as both a studio analyst for the NHL Network, and a post-game analyst on Pittsburgh Penguins games for SportsNet Pittsburgh. [10]

In addition to NHL Network, Rupp is a co-host of That’s Hockey Talk, of Pat McAfee Inc. alongside Nick Maraldo and Kyle “Gumpy (Gump)” Cathcart.

Personal life

Rupp's childhood ice hockey teams included the Parma Heights Wings Municipal Hockey Club, where he started playing at age nine. He attended and played for St. Edward High School, a catholic college preparatory school in Lakewood, Ohio. In just two years playing for the varsity squad at St. Edward, the team won two state championships in 1995 and 1996. After winning the Stanley Cup with the Devils, Rupp traveled to SouthPark Mall in Strongsville, Ohio, to display the Cup and sign autographs for fans in his home state.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1996–97 St. Edward High School HS-OH 20262450
1996–97 Cleveland Jr. Barons NAHL 21891775
1997–98 Windsor Spitfires OHL 38981760
1997–98 Erie Otters OHL 26731057 73146
1998–99 Erie Otters OHL 63222547102 502225
1999–00 Erie Otters OHL 58322153134 13551022
2000–01 Albany River Rats AHL 7110102063
2001–02 Albany River Rats AHL 7813173090
2002–03 Albany River Rats AHL 478111974
2002–03 New Jersey Devils NHL 2653821 41340
2003–04 New Jersey Devils NHL 51651141
2003–04 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 60116
2004–05 Danbury Trashers UHL 14551030 1134738
2005–06 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 10000
2005–06 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 3942658
2005–06 Syracuse Crunch AHL 312312
2006–07 New Jersey Devils NHL 7663992 90117
2007–08 New Jersey Devils NHL 6436958 50112
2008–09 New Jersey Devils NHL 72369136 700014
2009–10 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 8113619120 110008
2010–11 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 819817124 71124
2011–12 New York Rangers NHL 6041597 2000036
2012–13 New York Rangers NHL 800012
2012–13 Minnesota Wild NHL 3213467 400012
2013–14 Minnesota Wild NHL 1301123
2013–14 Iowa Wild AHL 50000
NHL totals 610544599855 6726883

Awards and honors

Award Year
NHL
Stanley Cup champion 2003

References

  1. 2007-2008 New Jersey Devils Media Guide. p. 70.
  2. "Devils drink from Cup after 3-0 win". ESPN.com. 2003-06-09. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
  3. "Phoenix acquires unlikely Cup hero". ESPN.com. 2004-03-05. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
  4. "Jackets trade Sanderson, Jackman to Coyotes for Chimera, Hulse and Rupp". ESPN.com. 2005-10-08. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
  5. "Devils sign Rupp". devils.nhl.com. 2006-07-10. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
  6. "Rupp's Hat Trick Powers Pens Over Rangers". WPXI. 2009-11-30. Archived from the original on 2009-12-02. Retrieved 2009-12-29.
  7. "NHL Free Agent Tracker". The Sports Network. Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  8. "Rangers send Rupp to Wild for Powe, Palmieri". The Sports Network. 2013-01-04. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
  9. "Rupp suspended four games for illegal check to head". NHL.com. 2014-04-11. Retrieved 2014-04-11.
  10. "ROOT SPORTS Adds Armstrong, Rupp As Analysts". The Official Site of the Pittsburgh Penguins. 5 October 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
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