Derek Boogaard

Derek Boogaard
Born	June 23, 1982(1982-06-23) Saskatoon, SK, CAN
Died	May 13, 2011(2011-05-13) (aged 28) Minneapolis, MN, USA
Height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Weight	265 lb (120 kg; 18 st 13 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Minnesota Wild New York Rangers
NHL Draft	202nd overall, 2001 Minnesota Wild
Playing career	2005–2011

Derek Leendert Boogaard^[1] (June 23, 1982 – May 13, 2011)^[2] was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played for the Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was of Flemish^[3] descent. Known primarily as a fighter and enforcer, his nicknames included "Boogeyman" and "The Mountie". In 2007 he was voted as the second most intimidating player in the NHL, behind now retired Georges Laraque.^[4]

Playing career

Regina Caps

A native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Boogaard spent the 1998-99 season as a 16 year old with the Regina Caps of the SJHL, scoring two goals and five points in 35 games. Boogaard also accumulated 166 PIM.

Regina Pats

Boogaard began the 1999-2000 season with the Regina Pats of the WHL, as he played in five games with the team, earning no points and 17 PIM. Early in his rookie season, he was traded to the Prince George Cougars.

Prince George Cougars

Boogaard finished his rookie season in 1999-2000 with the Prince George Cougars, where he suited up for 20 games, registering no points and had the third highest penalty minutes total on the team with 149.

He returned to the Cougars for a second season in 2000-01, as he scored a goal and nine points in 61 games. Boogaard finished the season with 245 PIM, which led the team, and was the eighth highest total in the league. In the playoffs, Boogaard scored a goal in six games, while accumulating 30 PIM. After the season, the Minnesota Wild drafted Boogaard in the seventh round, 202nd overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Boogaard began the 2001-02 season with the Cougars, appearing in two games, recording no points and 16 PIM. He was then traded to the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Medicine Hat Tigers

Boogaard finished the 2001-02 season with the Medicine Hat Tigers, as he appeared in 46 games with the team, scoring a goal and nine points, while having 178 PIM, third highest on the team.

He spent part of the 2002-03 with Medicine Hat, as he played in 27 games, getting a goal and three points, while registering 65 PIM.

Minnesota Wild

Boogaard signed a professional contract with the Minnesota Wild, and they placed Boogaard with the Louisiana IceGators of the ECHL to finish the 2002-03 season. In 33 games with Louisiana, Boogaard had a goal and three points, along with a team high 240 PIM. In two playoff games, Boogaard had no points and no penalty minutes.

Boogaard spent the 2003-04 season with the Houston Aeros of the AHL, as he had no goals and four points in 53 games. His 207 PIM led the Aeros. In the playoffs, appeared in two goals, earning an assist, while posting 16 PIM.

With the 2004-05 NHL lockout cancelling the NHL season, Boogaard returned to the Aeros for the 2004-05 season, as he scored a goal and five points in 56 games, as well as leading the team with 259 PIM. In five playoff games, Boogaard had no points, and put up 38 PIM.

Boogaard made his NHL debut in the 2005-06 season, as he made the Wild roster coming out of training camp. Boogaard made his NHL debut on October 5, 2005, getting no points in 3:58 of ice time in a 6-3 win over the Calgary Flames. Boogaard earned his first NHL point, an assist on a goal by Wes Walz on October 14, 2005 in a 5-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. He then scored his first NHL goal on October 19, 2005, beating San Jose Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov in a 6-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Boogaard finished his rookie season in the NHL with two goals, six points, while leading the Wild with 158 PIM in 65 games.

In 2006-07, Boogaard appeared in 48 games with the Wild, earning an assist, and leading the club with 120 PIM. He made his NHL playoff debut on April 11, 2007, getting no points in a 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Boogaard earned his first playoff point, earning an assist on April 17, 2007 in a 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Boogaard finished the playoffs with four games played, one assist, and 20 PIM.

Boogaard played in 34 games with the Wild in the 2007-08 season, getting no points, while registering 74 PIM, the fourth highest total on the team. In the playoffs, Boogaard went pointless in six games, while putting up 24 PIM, second highest total on the club.

He played in 51 games with Minnesota in 2008-09, getting three assists, and leading the team with 87 PIM. He earned an assist on October 16, 2008 against the Florida Panthers, which was his first point since getting an assist on February 8, 2007, also against the Florida Panthers. That represented a 49 game pointless drought.

In 2009-10, Boogaard appeared in 57 games, his highest total since his rookie season in 2005-06. Boogaard had four points, and a team high 105 PIM. On March 7, 2010, Boogaard was suspended for two games after a knee-on-knee hit against Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Jones.^[5] After the season, Boogaard became an unrestricted free agent.

New York Rangers

On July 1, 2010, Boogaard signed a four-year, $6.5 million contract with the New York Rangers.^[6] He made his Rangers debut on October 9, 2010, earning no points in a 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres. He earned his first point with New York on October 15, 2010, assisting on a goal by Brian Boyle in a 4-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Boogaard scored his first goal as a Ranger on November 9, 2010, scoring on Michal Neuvirth of the Washington Capitals in a 5-3 loss. That goal was the first goal by Boogaard since January 7, 2006 against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, and ended a 234 game drought in which Boogaard had no goals. On December 9, 2010, Boogaard suffered a season ending concussion in a fight with Matt Carkner of the Ottawa Senators. Overall, Boogaard appeared in 22 games with the Rangers, scoring a goal and two points, while registering 45 PIM. This turned out to be the end of Boogaard's career, as on May 13, 2011, Boogaard was found dead in his apartment.

Role as an enforcer

Boogaard's knockout of fellow enforcer Todd Fedoruk in a fight during a game against the Anaheim Ducks helped spark debate over increasing the punishment for fighting in the NHL. During this fight, Boogaard landed a brutal punch to the cheek sending Fedoruk to the ice. As a result, Fedoruk had to undergo surgery to reconstruct his shattered cheek using titanium plates. Fedoruk and Boogaard would later become teammates in Minnesota during the 2007–08 season.^[7] On November 6, 2005, Boogaard knocked out the Mighty Ducks' enforcer Trevor Gillies with an uppercut to the jaw.^[8]

Boogaard and his brother Aaron, who plays hockey for the Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League, ran the Derek and Aaron Boogaard Fighting Camp in Regina, Saskatchewan, for children aged 12 to 18. This sparked some controversy, with some people siding with the Boogaards, saying that they are teaching children how to not get hurt in a fight, and others opposing them, with the position that the Boogaards' camp encourages children to fight.^[9]

Death

On May 13, 2011, Boogaard was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment by family members. He was found unconscious and not breathing. Minneapolis Fire Department members were the first to arrive, and they pronounced him dead.^[10] He was a month and ten days short of his 29th birthday.^[11]

Although there were no indications of a homicide transpiring, Minneapolis homicide detectives were nonetheless assigned as part of the investigation. An autopsy was performed, the results of which led a Minnesota medical examiner to conclude that Boogaard's death was accidental, albeit due to the lethal mixing of alcohol and oxycodone.^[12] His family subsequently agreed to donate his brain to the Sports Legacy Institute. The Institute, along with Boston University Medical School, study the brains of athletes in high-contact sports, especially with regards to the degenerative brain condition chronic traumatic encephalopathy.^[13]

On July 22, 2011, Derek's brother Aaron was charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance for providing Derek with a narcotic pain reliever, one day after he had been released from a drug rehabilitation facility.^[14]

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1999–00	Regina Pats	WHL		5	0	0	0	17		—	—	—	—	—
1999–00	Prince George Cougars	WHL		33	0	0	0	149		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Prince George Cougars	WHL		61	1	8	9	245		6	1	0	1	31
2001–02	Prince George Cougars	WHL		2	0	0	0	16		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Medicine Hat Tigers	WHL		46	1	8	9	178		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Medicine Hat Tigers	WHL		27	1	2	3	65		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Louisiana IceGators	ECHL		33	1	2	3	240		2	0	0	0	0
2003–04	Houston Aeros	AHL		53	0	4	4	207		2	0	1	1	16
2004–05	Houston Aeros	AHL		56	1	4	5	259		5	0	0	0	38
2005–06	Minnesota Wild	NHL		65	2	4	6	158		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Minnesota Wild	NHL		48	0	1	1	120		4	0	1	1	20
2007–08	Minnesota Wild	NHL		34	0	0	0	74		6	0	0	0	24
2008–09	Minnesota Wild	NHL		51	0	3	3	87		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Minnesota Wild	NHL		57	0	4	4	105		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	New York Rangers	NHL		22	1	1	2	45		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				277	3	13	16	589		10	0	1	1	44

See also

• List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ "Hockey world still reeling after hockey enforcer's death – Saskatoon StarPhoenix
3. ^ http://genealogy.familyeducation.com/surname-origin/boogaard
4. ^ "Survey: Players tell us who tops their lists". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?page=07playersurvey. Retrieved January 1, 2010. 
5. ^ 2 game suspension for Boogaard
6. ^ "Rangers sign enforcer Boogaard". TSN. http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=326264. Retrieved July 1, 2010. 
7. ^ "Todd Fedoruk claimed off waivers by Wild". http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/todd_fedoruk_claimed_off_waivers_by_wild. 
8. ^ Boogaard's 2005 knockout of Trevor Gillies
9. ^ "School of Hard Knocks: Fighting academy adds fuel to hockey's fisticuffs debate". Canadian Broadcasting Company. July 25, 2007. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/analysis-fightschool.html. 
10. ^ Derek Boogaard Dead: Rangers Forward Dies At 28 Huffington Post
11. ^ "Derek Boogaard passes away at age 28". rangers.nhl.com. http://rangers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=562775&navid=DL. Retrieved May 13, 2011. 
12. ^ "Derek Boogaard death ruled accidental". http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nhl/news/story?id=6570143. 
13. ^ "Boogaard's family will donate brain for concussion research Minneapolis StarTribune". http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/121840164.html. 
14. ^ Karnowski, S.. "Boogaard brother charged in NHL player’s OD death". Associated Press. http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=ap-boogaardsbrotherarrested. Retrieved 2011-07-21. 

External links

• Derek Boogaard's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Derek Boogaard's NHL player profile
• Derek Boogaard at TSN.ca
• Derek Boogaard profile at Yahoo! Sports

Persondata
Name	Boogaard, Derek
Alternative names
Short description	Canadian hockey player
Date of birth	June 23, 1982
Place of birth	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Date of death	May 13, 2011
Place of death	Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.