New York Rangers enforcer Derek Boogaard was found dead inside his Minneapolis apartment Friday by members of his family. The 28-year-old forward’s sad and shocking death was confirmed by the Rangers who said of Boogaard, “Derek was an extremely kind and caring individual. He was a very thoughtful person, who will be dearly missed by all those who knew him. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and teammates during this difficult time.”
The Rangers also noted Boogaard’s involvement with the team’s charity and that he created “Boogaard’s Booguardians,” a group that hosts military members and their families at all New York Ranger home games.
Boogaard hadn’t played since December when he suffered a concussion. He had participated in a skate around with the team in March but then returned home to Minneapolis to continue recovering. It’s hard not to speculate whether his concussion recovery could have contributed to the death. No details are available regarding the cause, but as an enforcer we know Boogaard racked up 589 penalty minutes from over 50 career fights in the NHL. One can’t help but wonder if he was suffering from some sort of illness related to head injuries. We’ll have more details when they become available.
