Mike Rupp is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was born on January 13, 1980, in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in the Pittsburgh area. Rupp began his hockey career playing for the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 1996. He was drafted by the New York Islanders in the first round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.
Rupp made his NHL debut with the Islanders in the 2002-2003 season. He played for the Islanders for three seasons before being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2005. Rupp played for the Blue Jackets for one season before being traded to the New Jersey Devils in 2006. He played for the Devils for two seasons and was a member of the team that reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012.
After his time with the Devils, Rupp played for several other NHL teams, including the Phoenix Coyotes, the Minnesota Wild, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. He won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2009. Rupp retired from professional hockey in 2014.
Throughout his career, Rupp was known for his physical play and his ability to fight. He was also a solid penalty killer and a reliable fourth-line forward. Rupp played in a total of 610 NHL games, scoring 54 goals and 41 assists for a total of 95 points. He also accumulated 1,038 penalty minutes.
Off the ice, Rupp was known for his charitable work. He founded the Rupp's Kids Foundation, which provides financial assistance to families with children who have cancer. Rupp's own daughter was diagnosed with leukemia in 2010, and he became an advocate for childhood cancer research and treatment.
In conclusion, Mike Rupp had a successful career as a professional ice hockey player, playing for several NHL teams over the course of more than a decade. He was known for his physical play and his ability to fight, as well as his charitable work off the ice.
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