VandenBussche remained a Blackhawk until the Pittsburgh Penguins signed him as an unrestricted free agent on July 12, 2004.
After his tryout, VandenBussche signed with the New Mexico Scorpions as a player/coach, but retired in January for medical reasons.
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".
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.
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.