NHLer Derek Boogaard Found Dead

Source: James Keivom/News

Really sad new coming out of Minneapolis today. New York Rangers forward Derek Boogaard, 28 was found dead in his apartment last evening and the cause at this time is unknown. Boogaard who had just signed a 4-year contract with the Rangers at the start of the 2010 season was considered one of the toughest fighters in the NHL. At 6"7 and 260 lbs he was an intimidating force on the ice and often took on the other teams enforcers. This season Boogaard was limited to only 45 games due to injury. In December he suffered a shoulder injury during a fight and then experienced concussion-like symptoms during an off-ice work out and never returned to the ice for the rest of the season.

From other articles that I have read about him, he apparently was one of the nicest guys off the ice and was very well liked in New York and Minnesota, where he played seven seasons with The Wild. He was involved with several charities including the "Garden of Dreams" foundation, which is an organization sponsored by the NY Rangers. He also created "Boogaard's Booguardians" which is a program that allowed military members and their families to attend Rangers home games, as reported by the NY Post.

We live in a world where now more than ever it's difficult to relate to the modern athlete. With huge contract signings, the absence of loyalty as a result of free agency, strikes, lockouts, CBAs and in general, the business side of sports now dominating the headlines as much as the games themselves, sometimes we forget that athletes are vulnerable to the human condition just like the rest of us.

Boogaard's death brings to mind Bob Probert, who died of a heart attack just last year (July 5, 2010). Probert, like Boogaard was an enforcer who played 17 years in the NHL (Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks) was only 45 when he died.

There have been several athletes over the years that have died young. Some of the more memorable ones, among others, were Len Bias, Hank Gathers, Reggie Lewis, Pat Tillman and Thurman Munson.