- Michael Rupp
-
Michael Rupp 
Born January 13, 1980
Cleveland, OH, USAHeight 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Weight 230 lb (104 kg; 16 st 6 lb) Position Center/Left wing Shoots Left NHL team
Former teamsNew York Rangers
New Jersey Devils
Phoenix Coyotes
Columbus Blue Jackets
Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL Draft 9th overall, 1998
New York Islanders76th overall, 2000
New Jersey DevilsPlaying career 2000–present Michael Francis Rupp (born January 13, 1980) is an American professional ice hockey player currently playing for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Contents
Playing career
Rupp played high school hockey at St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio. He was originally drafted in the first round, 9th overall by the New York Islanders in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Unsigned, and still playing in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Erie Otters, he returned to the draft and was selected 76th overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils.
Mike played his first professional season in 2000–01 with the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League (AHL), an affiliate of the Devils. Rupp made his NHL debut in the 2002–03 season with the Devils where he helped them win the Stanley Cup, scoring the Cup-clinching goal. Rupp is only player in Stanley Cup history to have his first playoff goal be the Stanley Cup winning goal.[1]
The following season in 2003–04, Rupp was traded by the Devils with a second round draft pick to the Phoenix Coyotes for Jan Hrdina on March 5, 2004.[2] After the NHL lockout Rupp was traded by the Coyotes along with Jason Chimera and Cale Hulse to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Geoff Sanderson and Tim Jackman on October 8, 2005.[3] 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.[4] 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 dollar contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. While scoring his first career hat-trick on November 30, 2009 against the New York Rangers, Rupp scored his six, seventh, and eighth goals for a new career high just 28 games into the 2009–10 season.[5]
On July 1, 2011, Rupp signed a three-year contract worth $4.5 million with the New York Rangers.[6]
Awards and achievements
Career statistics
Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1997–98 Windsor Spitfires OHL 38 9 8 17 60 — — — — — 1997–98 Erie Otters OHL 26 7 3 10 57 7 3 1 4 6 1998–99 Erie Otters OHL 63 22 25 47 102 5 0 2 2 25 1999–00 Erie Otters OHL 58 32 21 53 134 13 5 5 10 22 2000–01 Albany River Rats AHL 71 10 10 20 63 — — — — — 2001–02 Albany River Rats AHL 78 13 17 30 90 — — — — — 2002–03 Albany River Rats AHL 47 8 11 19 74 — — — — — 2002–03 New Jersey Devils NHL 26 5 3 8 21 4 1 3 4 0 2003–04 New Jersey Devils NHL 51 6 5 11 41 — — — — — 2003–04 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 6 0 1 1 6 — — — — — 2004–05 Danbury Trashers UHL 14 5 5 10 30 11 3 4 7 38 2005–06 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2005–06 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 39 4 2 6 58 — — — — — 2005–06 Syracuse Crunch AHL 3 1 2 3 12 — — — — — 2006–07 New Jersey Devils NHL 76 6 3 9 92 9 0 1 1 7 2007–08 New Jersey Devils NHL 64 3 6 9 58 5 0 1 1 2 2008–09 New Jersey Devils NHL 72 3 6 9 136 7 0 0 0 14 2009–10 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 81 13 6 19 120 11 0 0 0 8 2010–11 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 81 9 8 17 124 7 1 1 2 4 NHL totals 497 49 40 89 656 43 2 6 8 35 Personal life
His childhood ice hockey teams included the Parma Heights Wings Municipal Hockey Club, where he started playing at age 9. He then attended and played for St. Edward High School a college prepatory in Lakewood, OH where in just two years playing for the school he won two state championships (1994,1995). Rupp is a self professed Born Again Christian who became devoted to his faith after meeting his future wife Christi while he was playing in the OHL for the Erie Otters.[7] After winning the Stanley Cup with the Devils Mike came to Southpark Mall in Strongsville, Ohio and showed the Cup and signed autographs for his home state fans. He played golf weekly with Tiger Woods
Mike and Christi have 3 children: Madeline (born December 2002),[8] Mason (born November 30, 2004)[9] and Max (born July 10, 2009).[10]
Heart Problems
Michael Rupp was diagnosed with Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome in 1998.
References
- ^ "Devils drink from Cup after 3-0 win". ESPN.com. 2003-06-09. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=230609011. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
- ^ "Phoenix acquires unlikely Cup hero". ESPN.com. 2004-03-05. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=1751673. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
- ^ "Jackets trade Sanderson, Jackman to Coyotes for Chimera, Hulse and Rupp". ESPN.com. 2005-10-08. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2184565. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
- ^ "Devils sign Rupp". devils.nhl.com. 2006-07-10. http://devils.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=319179&page=NewsPage&service=page. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
- ^ "Rupp's Hat Trick Powers Pens Over Rangers". WPXI. 2009-11-30. http://www.wpxi.com/sports/21767608/detail.html. Retrieved 2009-12-29.
- ^ "NHL Free Agent Tracker". The Sports Network. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?id=25880. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- ^ http://www.cbn.com/entertainment/sports/700club_MikeRupp111706.aspx
- ^ http://www.teamohio.com/rupp_story.html
- ^ http://pensuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/11/pens-win-mike-erupps-as-sid-gives.html
- ^ http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090723/SPORTS0511/307239886
External links
Preceded by
Eric BrewerNew York Islanders first round draft pick
1998Succeeded by
Tim ConnollyCategories:- 1980 births
- Albany River Rats players
- American ice hockey left wingers
- Columbus Blue Jackets players
- Danbury Trashers players
- Erie Otters alumni
- Living people
- National Hockey League first round draft picks
- New Jersey Devils draft picks
- New Jersey Devils players
- New York Islanders draft picks
- New York Rangers players
- People from Cleveland, Ohio
- Phoenix Coyotes players
- Pittsburgh Penguins players
- St. Edward High School (Lakewood, Ohio) alumni
- Stanley Cup champions
- Syracuse Crunch players
- Windsor Spitfires alumni
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
