{{Short description|Canadian ice hockey player (born 1973)}} {{Infobox ice hockey player | image= | image_size = | played_for = [[New York Rangers]]<br>[[Chicago Blackhawks]]<br>[[Pittsburgh Penguins]] | league = [[National Hockey League|NHL]] | position = [[Winger (ice hockey)|Right wing]] | shoots = Right | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 0 | weight_lb = 202 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|2|28}} | birth_place = [[Simcoe, Ontario|Simcoe]], [[Ontario]], Canada | draft = 173rd overall | draft_year = 1992 | draft_team = [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] | career_start = 1993 | career_end = 2007 }}
'''Ryan VandenBussche''' (born February 28, 1973) is a Canadian former professional [[ice hockey]] [[forward (ice hockey)|forward]] who played fourteen years of professional hockey, nine [[National Hockey League]] (NHL) seasons with the [[New York Rangers]], [[Chicago Blackhawks]], and [[Pittsburgh Penguins]]. He is best known for his [[Boxing|pugilistic]] skills.
==Playing career== Drafted by the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] in the [[1992 NHL entry draft]], 8th round, 173rd overall, VandenBussche spent his first [[Season (sport)|seasons]] playing for various [[Ontario Hockey League|OHL]] and [[American Hockey League|AHL]] teams.
On August 22, 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 NHL season|1996–97]] season playing 11 games.
The very next season, [[1997–98 NHL season|1997–98]], VandenBussche was split between four different teams in three different leagues. He played three games for the [[Indianapolis Ice]] of the [[International Hockey League (1945–2001)|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 March 29, 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 July 12, 2004. On September 25, 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scorpionshockey.com/news/pressrelease/index.html?article_id=407 |title=VandenBussche retires | publisher =scorpionshockey.com | date = 2006-09-20 | accessdate = 2008-11-10}}</ref>
VandenBussche was not known as a goal scorer or play maker; in 310 NHL games, he scored 10 goals and 10 assists. VandenBussche's role was as an [[Enforcer (ice hockey)|enforcer]]. He has the distinction of being pound for pound one of the toughest enforcers at the NHL level, and the man who ended the career of [[Nick Kypreos]] in a pre-season game in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kypreos, VandenBussche on concussions|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/kypreos-vandenbussche/|website=sportsnet.ca|accessdate=February 12, 2018|date=March 25, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Campbell|first1=Morgan|title=A history of violence|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2011/03/10/a_history_of_violence.html|accessdate=February 12, 2018|agency=The Toronto Star|date=March 10, 2011}}</ref>
==Post career== In 2006 VandenBussche was charged with assault after he assaulted multiple officers and uttered death threats. He was cleared of the charges in 2008 due to a successful argument that his multiple concussions during his hockey career and a shove during the altercation rendered him a "non-insane automaton".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Oliveira|first1=Michael|title=Former NHL enforcer cleared of assault charges|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/2008/07/11/former_nhl_enforcer_cleared_of_assault_charges.html|accessdate=April 30, 2018|publisher=The Toronto Star|date=July 11, 2008}}</ref> VandenBussche and his wife Lisa currently sell real estate with his father Ron as Team VandenBussche with ReMax Erie Shores in [[Norfolk County, Ontario]], Canada. Ryan is the founder of a charity called Stix n Pix which promotes the development of grass-roots hockey and music within the community and surrounding area.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.youronlineagents.com/ronvandenbussche/|title=Simcoe real estate | publisher =youronlineagents.com | date = 2007-03-20 | accessdate = 2008-11-10}}</ref> He has also partnered with [[Canadian Tire]] First Shift Program, which is an initiative to help get youth involved in hockey.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Robinson|first1=Jacob|title=Local skaters on Cloud 9|url=http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2018/01/30/local-skaters-on-cloud-9|website=simcoereformer.ca|accessdate=February 12, 2018|date=January 30, 2018}}</ref> VandenBussche is also the founder/President of New Leaf Canada Inc. which is a Nutraceutical Health and Wellness company. His role as an athlete ambassador advocates the benefits of plant based medicines.
VandenBussche was awarded the civilian [[Canadian Forces Medallion for Distinguished Service]] in 2017 for his multiple visits to overseas military bases, starting with a ball hockey game in [[Kandahar]], [[Afghanistan]] in 2010.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Robinson|first1=Jacob|title=VandenBussche honoured by Canadian Forces|url=http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2017/01/24/vandenbussche-honoured-by-canadian-forces|accessdate=11 February 2017|publisher=Simcoe Reformer|date=24 January 2017}}</ref>
==Career statistics==
{| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em" |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|[[Regular season]] ! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|[[Playoffs]] |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! [[Season (sports)|Season]] ! Team ! League ! GP !! [[Goal (ice hockey)|G]] !! [[Assist (ice hockey)|A]] !! [[Point (ice hockey)|Pts]] !! [[Penalty (ice hockey)|PIM]] ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM |- | 1989–90 | [[Norwich Merchants]] | [[Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League|NDJHL]] | 21 || 12 || 10 || 22 || 146 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | [[1990–91 OHL season|1990–91]] | [[Cornwall Royals]] | [[Ontario Hockey League|OHL]] | 49 || 3 || 8 || 11 || 139 | — || — || — || — || — |- | [[1991–92 OHL season|1991–92]] | Cornwall Royals | OHL | 61 || 13 || 15 || 28 || 230 | 6 || 0 || 2 || 2 || 9 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | [[1992–93 AHL season|1992–93]] | [[St. John's Maple Leafs]] | [[American Hockey League|AHL]] | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | — || — || — || — || — |- | [[1992–93 OHL season|1992–93]] | Newmarket Royals | OHL | 30 || 15 || 12 || 27 || 161 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1992–93 | [[Guelph Storm]] | OHL | 29 || 3 || 14 || 17 || 99 | 5 || 1 || 3 || 4 || 13 |- | [[1993–94 AHL season|1993–94]] | St. John's Maple Leafs | AHL | 44 || 4 || 10 || 14 || 124 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1993–94 | [[Springfield Indians]] | AHL | 9 || 1 || 2 || 3 || 29 | 5 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 16 |- | [[1994–95 AHL season|1994–95]] | St. John's Maple Leafs | AHL | 53 || 2 || 13 || 15 || 239 | 3 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 17 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | [[1995–96 AHL season|1995–96]] | [[Binghamton Rangers]] | AHL | 68 || 3 || 17 || 20 || 240 | 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 9 |- | [[1996–97 AHL season|1996–97]] | Binghamton Rangers | AHL | 38 || 8 || 11 || 19 || 133 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | [[1996–97 NHL season|1996–97]] | [[New York Rangers]] | [[National Hockey League|NHL]] | 11 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 30 | — || — || — || — || — |- | [[1997–98 IHL season|1997–98]] | [[Indianapolis Ice]] | [[International Hockey League (1945–2001)|IHL]] | 3 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 4 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | [[1997–98 AHL season|1997–98]] | [[Hartford Wolf Pack]] | AHL | 15 || 2 || 0 || 2 || 45 | — || — || — || — || — |- | [[1997–98 NHL season|1997–98]] | New York Rangers | NHL | 16 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 38 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1997–98 | [[Chicago Blackhawks]] | NHL | 4 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 5 | — || — || — || — || — |- | [[1998–99 AHL season|1998–99]] | [[Portland Pirates]] | AHL | 37 || 4 || 1 || 5 || 119 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | [[1998–99 NHL season|1998–99]] | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 6 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 17 | — || — || — || — || — |- | [[1998–99 IHL season|1998–99]] | Indianapolis Ice | IHL | 34 || 3 || 10 || 13 || 130 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | [[1999–00 NHL season|1999–00]] | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 52 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 143 | — || — || — || — || — |- | [[2000–01 NHL season|2000–01]] | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 64 || 2 || 5 || 7 || 146 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | [[2001–02 NHL season|2001–02]] | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 50 || 1 || 2 || 3 || 103 | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- | [[2002–03 NHL season|2002–03]] | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 22 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 58 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | [[2002–03 AHL season|2002–03]] | [[Norfolk Admirals (AHL)|Norfolk Admirals]] | AHL | 4 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 5 | — || — || — || — || — |- | [[2003–04 NHL season|2003–04]] | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 65 || 4 || 1 || 5 || 120 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | [[2004–05 AHL season|2004–05]] | [[Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins]] | AHL | 23 || 4 || 7 || 11 || 77 | 11 || 2 || 2 || 4 || 11 |- | [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06]] | [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] | NHL | 20 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 42 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | [[2006–07 SM-liiga season|2006–07]] | [[Jokerit]] | [[SM-liiga|SM-l]] | 15 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 39 | — || — || — || — || — |- | [[2006–07 CHL season|2006–07]] | [[New Mexico Scorpions]] | [[Central Hockey League|CHL]] | 9 || 0 || 3 || 3 || 29 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" | AHL totals ! 292 !! 28 !! 62 !! 90 !! 1011 ! 23 !! 2 !! 2 !! 4 !! 53 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" | NHL totals ! 310 !! 10 !! 10 !! 20 !! 702 ! 1 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Ice hockey stats}} *[http://www.pittsburghpenguins.com/team/bio.php?id=148 Biography at Pittsburgh Penguins Official Website] *[http://tsn.ca/nhl/teams/players/bio/?id=346&hubname=nhl-penguins tsn.ca]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vandenbussche, Ryan}} [[Category:1973 births]] [[Category:Binghamton Rangers players]] [[Category:Canadian ice hockey right wingers]] [[Category:Canadian people of Dutch descent]] [[Category:Chicago Blackhawks players]] [[Category:Cornwall Royals (OHL) players]] [[Category:Guelph Storm players]] [[Category:Hartford Wolf Pack players]] [[Category:Ice hockey people from Ontario]] [[Category:Indianapolis Ice players]] [[Category:Jokerit players]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Newmarket Royals players]] [[Category:New Mexico Scorpions (CHL) players]] [[Category:New York Rangers players]] [[Category:Norfolk Admirals players]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Norfolk County, Ontario]] [[Category:Pittsburgh Penguins players]] [[Category:Portland Pirates players]] [[Category:St. John's Maple Leafs players]] [[Category:Springfield Indians players]] [[Category:Toronto Maple Leafs draft picks]] [[Category:Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins players]] [[Category:Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in Finland]]