Mike Rupp
Michael Rupp | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 13, 1980 United States |
| Occupation(s) | Professional ice hockey player (retired), sports analyst |
| Years active | 2000–2014 (player) |
| Known for | Scoring the Stanley Cup-winning goal for the New Jersey Devils in 2003 |
Michael Ryan Rupp (born January 13, 1980) is a retired American professional ice hockey center who competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) representing the New Jersey Devils, Phoenix Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, and Minnesota Wild.
Rupp is renowned for netting the decisive goal in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals, which was not only his first playoff goal but also secured the Devils' third Stanley Cup title. Presently, he serves as an analyst for NHL Network and SportsNet Pittsburgh and co-hosts the program "That’s Hockey Talk" broadcast from Pat McAfee Incorporated Studios.
Playing career
Rupp’s early hockey development took place at St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio. Initially selected ninth overall by the New York Islanders in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, he remained unsigned while competing with the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League. Subsequently, he re-entered the draft and was picked 76th overall by the New Jersey Devils in 2000.
His professional journey commenced in the 2000–01 season with the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League, serving as the Devils’ primary affiliate. Rupp made his NHL debut on January 13, 2003, and played a pivotal role in the Devils’ Stanley Cup triumph by scoring the championship-winning goal—remarkably his first postseason tally.
In 2004, Rupp was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes along with a second-round draft pick in exchange for Jan Hrdina. Following the 2004–05 NHL lockout, he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Geoff Sanderson and Tim Jackman. The Blue Jackets opted not to tender a qualifying offer to Rupp in 2006.
He returned to New Jersey on a one-year deal worth $450,000 in July 2006 and earned a two-year contract extension in June 2007, during which he solidified his reputation as a tenacious player.
On July 1, 2009, Rupp agreed to a two-year contract valued at $1.65 million with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He achieved his first career hat-trick on November 30, 2009, against the New York Rangers, setting a new personal best early that season.
Rupp inked a three-year contract worth $4.5 million with the New York Rangers on July 1, 2011. Notably, he scored twice in the 2012 Winter Classic versus the Philadelphia Flyers, including an expressive goal celebration that triggered an on-ice altercation.
During the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, Rupp was traded to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for forwards Darroll Powe and Nick Palmieri. In April 2014, he was suspended for four games due to an illegal check to the head of St. Louis Blues forward T.J. Oshie.
Broadcasting career
Following his retirement in 2014, Rupp transitioned into broadcasting as a studio analyst for the NHL Network and provides post-game analysis for Pittsburgh Penguins coverage on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Additionally, he co-hosts That’s Hockey Talk on Pat McAfee Inc., alongside Nick Maraldo and Kyle “Gumpy (Gump)” Cathcart.
Personal life
Rupp began his hockey journey at age nine with the Parma Heights Wings Municipal Hockey Club. He attended St. Edward High School, where he contributed to securing two state championships during 1995 and 1996. After capturing the Stanley Cup with New Jersey, Rupp presented the trophy and signed autographs at SouthPark Mall in Strongsville, Ohio, engaging with fans from his home state.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1996–97 | St. Edward High School | HS-OH | 20 | 26 | 24 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Cleveland Jr. Barons | NAHL | 21 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 75 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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 | ||
| 2011–12 | New York Rangers | NHL | 60 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 97 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | ||
| 2012-13 | New York Rangers | NHL | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |||||||
| 2012-13 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 32 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 67 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | ||
| 2013-14 NHL season | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 23 | |||||||
| 2013-14 AHL season | Iowa Wild | AHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
NHL totals |
610 | 54 | 45 | 99 | 855! | 67 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 83! | ||||
Awards and honors
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| NHL | |
| Stanley Cup title winner | 2003 |