Duane Rupp



Duane Rupp (born March 29, 1938 in MacNutt, Saskatchewan) is a retired Canadian defenceman.

He played junior hockey for the Flin Flon Bombers from 1956-58, winning the Memorial Cup in 1956-57.

Prior to 1967, Rupp played occasionally in the NHL with the New York Rangers and the Toronto Maple Leafs but mostly in the minor pros. In 1967-68 he got his big break and became a regular with the Leafs.

Rupp was claimed the next season by the Minnesota North Stars and was traded in mid-season to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played for them through the 1972-73 season. His big size but quiet nature led to fans believing he was afraid to be physical. The boos from the fans led him to leave the Penguins.

After playing the 1973-74 season with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), Rupp played for two seasons with the Vancouver Blazers/Calgary Cowboys in the World Hockey Association before concluding his career in 1977 with the Rochester Americans of the AHL.

Rupp played in 374 NHL games and scored 24 goals and 93 assists.

Awards & Achievements
Duane was the first defensemen to score a hat trick in Pittsburgh Penguin team history.
 * Memorial Cup Championship (1957)
 * AHL Second All-Star Team (1966, 1967, & 1974)
 * Played in NHL All-Star Game (1968)
 * Calder Cup (AHL) Championship (1974)
 * Honoured Member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame