Rangers F Derek Boogaard dies at 28; cause of death unknown

By Ray Bennett
Saturday May 14, 2011

New York Rangers forward Derek Boogaard, a feared enforcer in the NHL for the past few years, was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment late Friday night at the age of 28. Members of his family discovered that he was unconscious and unresponsive. No cause of death was reported at the scene. Police said that they will perform an autopsy and results will not be known for at least 3-4 weeks.

Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather released a statement after news broke of Boogaard's death: "Derek was an extremely kind and caring individual. He was a very thoughtful person, who will be dearly missed by those who knew him. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and teammates during this difficult time."

Boogaard was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada on June 23, 1982. After playing junior league hockey in the Western Hockey League for three teams, Boogaard was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the seventh round in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. After playing for a few years in the East Coast Hockey League for the Louisiana IceGators and the Houston Aeros, Boogaard made his first NHL roster for the Wild in the 2005-06 season.

Nicknamed "The Boogyman" for his rough play, Boogaard was mostly known in his NHL career as an enforcer. His first notable incident was a knockout of former Anaheim Ducks enforcer Todd Fedoruk during a fight in his rookie season, resulting in a shattered cheekbone that had to be reconstructed with titanium plates. Ironically, Fedoruk would later become a teammate of Boogaard's for the Wild for a short time in the 2007-08 season.

Boogaard lived up to his reputation as an enforcer, racking up 589 career penalty minutes throughout his six year NHL career. Boogaard signed a four year, $6.5 million contract last summer for the Rangers, re-joining former Wild teammate Marian Gaborik. He had a goal, an assist and 45 penalty minutes in 22 games before a concussion and knee injury prematurely ended his season. Boogaard tallied 3 goals, two of them in his rookie season, and 13 assists in his six years in the NHL. He appeared in the playoffs twice for the Wild, getting only one assist and 44 penalty minutes in 10 career playoff games.

The NHL honored Boogaard with a moment of silence before Game One of Saturday's Eastern Conference Finals between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Boston Bruins.