Ryan VandenBussche (born February 28, 1973 in Simcoe, Ontario, Canada) is a retired professional ice hockey forward who played in 8 National Hockey League (NHL) seasons with the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He is best known for his pugilistic skills.

[edit] Playing career

Drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft, 8th round, 173rd overall, VandenBussche spent his first seasons playing for various OHL and AHL teams.

On the 22nd of August, 1995, he was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the New York Rangers. After two seasons in the AHL with the Rangers' farm team, the Binghamton Rangers, VandenBussche finally made his NHL debut for the 1996–97 season playing 11 games.

The very next season, 1997–98, Ryan was split between four different teams in three different leagues. He played three games for the Indianapolis Ice of the IHL, fifteen games for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL, sixteen games for the New York Rangers of the NHL, and since the Rangers traded him for Ryan Risidore on the 29th of March, 1998, four games for the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL.

VandenBussche remained a Blackhawk until the Pittsburgh Penguins signed him as an unrestricted free agent on the 12th of July, 2004. On the 25th of September, 2006, Jokerit of SM-liiga signed the forward for a try-out, which was terminated on November 5. After his tryout, VandenBussche signed with the New Mexico Scorpions as a player/coach, but retired in January for medical reasons.^[1]

VandenBussche was not known as a goal scorer or play maker; in 310 NHL games, he has only scored 10 goals and 10 assists. Ryan's role was as an enforcer. He has the unfortunate distinction of being the man who ended the career of Nick Kypreos in a pre-season game in 1997.

[edit] Post career

Ryan now sells real estate with his wife Lisa, and under the direction of his father Ron, in Norfolk County.^[2]

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Ryan VandenBussche's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Biography at Pittsburgh Penguins Official Website
• tsn.ca