Today is another sad day as the NHL lost another one of it's tough guys. Former Canucks tough guy Rick Rypien was found dead by a family member in his Alberta home. Rypien recently signed with the Winnipeg Jets this past summer.

In his three seasons with the Canucks, Rypien opted to take two leave of absences in his tenure. Off the ice, Rypien was faced with depression, which forced him to leave the Canucks last November for an extended amount of time.

Local Police Officers are saying that there is no suspicious activity involved with Rypiens death. Rypien is the second NHL tough guy to pass during this off-season. Our own Derek Boogaard passed away in May after officials found a mixture of alcohol and oxycodone in his system.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Rick and his family.

Follow after the jump for the official release from the Winnipeg Jets.

Statement regarding passing of Rick Rypien

True North Sports & Entertainment and the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club would like to issue the following statement in regards to the passing of Rick Rypien:

"We are deeply saddened to confirm Rick’s passing. As many people are aware, he had strong ties to True North Sports & Entertainment, the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club, the former Manitoba Moose Hockey Club and the Vancouver Canucks. 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. 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 organization will have no further comment at this time. We kindly ask the privacy of Rick’s family and friends be respected during this difficult period.