Rick Blight

Rick Blight (October 17 1955-April 2005) was a professional hockey player.

A native of Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, Richard Derek 'Rick' Blight had a long and varied career in the sport of hockey, playing the position of Right Wing for teams in the NHL, MJHL, WCHL, CHL, and the AHL hockey leagues. At 6' 2" (1.87 m) and 195 lbs (88 kg), Blight was selected by the Michigan Stags (round 2 #19 overall) in the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft and the Vancouver Canucks (round 1 #10 overall) in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft. Blight played for the Portage Terriers from 1970 to 1972, Brandon Wheat Kings from 1971 to 1975, Team Canada from 1974 to 1975, Vancouver Canucks from 1975 to 1981, Dallas Black Hawks from 1978 to 1979, and from 1980 to 1981, Cincinnati Tigers from 1981 to 1982, Wichita Wind from 1981 to 1982, Moncton Alpines from 1982 to 1983, New Haven Nighthawks from 1982 to 1983, and the Los Angeles Kings from 1982 to 1983. Blight, who also played hockey in Switzerland, was the recipient of the WCJHL Rookie of the Year Award in 1973, and was a member of the CHL Second All-Star Team in 1981.

Blight retired from playing hockey in 1983 and began a career as a stockbroker and marketing consultant, as well as managing his family farm in his native Manitoba. In 1995, Blight was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.

On April 3, 2005, Blight disappeared. Two weeks later, on April 18, 2005, Blight was found dead in his pickup truck in a field on his farm near Lake Manitoba. Blight, who was only 49 years old, was suspected of dying of a heart attack.