Derek Boogaard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Derek Boogaard
Boogaard in 2009
Born	(1982-06-23)June 23, 1982 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died	May 13, 2011(2011-05-13) (aged 28) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Height	6 ft 7 in (201 cm)
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 (June 23, 1982 – May 13, 2011) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played as a left winger for the Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Derek was known as a "fighter" or "enforcer" in hockey. His job was to protect his teammates and sometimes get into fights with players from the other team. Because of his fighting skills, fans called him "Boogeyman" and "The Mountie." In 2007, he was voted the second most intimidating player in the NHL.

Derek Boogaard passed away at the age of 28 while recovering from a concussion. After his death, doctors studied his brain. They found he had a serious brain condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This condition is caused by repeated head injuries. His death, along with two other hockey enforcers, started important discussions in the hockey world about player safety.

Childhood and Family Life

Derek Boogaard was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He was the oldest of four children. His father, Len Boogaard, was a police officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). His mother was Joanne. Derek had two younger brothers, Ryan and Aaron, and a sister, Krysten. His family moved often because of his father's police work.

Derek grew up in Herbert. He was much taller than other kids his age. By 15, he was 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 210 pounds. This fast growth caused pain in his knees. Derek also found school challenging, especially reading.

Because of his size and shyness, Derek was sometimes bullied. But when he had to fight, he usually won easily. His friends and family said he was not mean and did not look for fights. He would stand up for his teammates.

His family encouraged him to play hockey. His father often drove him to games in his police car, which Derek remembered fondly. He briefly quit hockey at 12 but returned. In his early teens, Derek dreamed of playing in the NHL. He looked up to Wendel Clark, another hockey player from Saskatchewan.

The Boogaard family later moved to Melfort. His father continued to take Derek and his brothers to Saskatoon for extra skating and boxing lessons. In youth hockey, Derek often received penalties because of his size, even when it wasn't his fault. Some parents complained that he was too big to play with children his age.

Hockey Career

One night, while playing for the Melfort Mustangs, Derek got very upset during a game. He jumped into the opposing team's bench to fight. His father, who was watching, said he had never seen Derek like that before. Derek was removed from the game.

After the game, scouts from the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League approached Derek and his father. They were impressed by Derek's courage. They offered him a chance to play junior hockey, which was a step towards the NHL.

Western Hockey League

When Derek started his junior hockey career, he realized that his best chance to reach the NHL was as an enforcer. This meant using his fighting skills. In his first practice game with the Pats, he broke another player's nose with his first punch.

Regina Pats

Derek's parents divorced but both moved to Regina to be near him. His time with the Pats started rough when he avoided a fight in a game. He was then sent to a lower league team, the Regina Pats of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. He played 35 games there, scoring two goals and five points, with 166 penalty minutes (PIM).

This season was difficult for Derek. He even quit the team at one point, crying on the way home. That summer, he got into a bar fight with friends.

By the next season, Derek was 6 feet 7 inches tall. The Pats called him back to training camp. He had 12 fights in four practice games. He played five games with the team, with no points and 17 PIM. Early in his first full season, he was traded to the Prince George Cougars after losing a fight.

Prince George Cougars

In his first season with the Cougars, Derek played 20 games. He had no points and 149 penalty minutes, the third highest on the team. He lost his first fight against Eric Godard, who would also become an NHL enforcer. Derek later wrote that it was a very long year for him. He struggled with rules and school. Late in the season, he broke his jaw in a game. He had to have his jaw wired shut and was sent home to heal.

After thinking about quitting hockey again, Derek returned to the Cougars for his second season in 2000–01. He started to win his fights on the ice. He even won against players who had beaten him before. Fans in Prince George began cheering his name. One poll named him the toughest player in his league.

In 61 games, he scored one goal and nine points. He led his team with 245 penalty minutes, which was the eighth highest in the league. In the playoffs, Derek scored a goal in six games. One of his coaches said he had never seen Derek or the rink so happy as when he scored that goal. After the season, the Minnesota Wild chose Derek in the seventh round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Derek started the 2001–02 season with the Cougars, playing two games. He was then traded to the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Medicine Hat Tigers

Derek finished the 2001–02 season with the Medicine Hat Tigers. He played 46 games, scoring one goal and nine points, with 178 penalty minutes.

He played part of the 2002–03 season with Medicine Hat. He played 27 games, getting one goal and three points, with 65 penalty minutes.

National Hockey League

Minnesota Wild

Derek signed a professional contract with the Minnesota Wild. They sent him to the Louisiana IceGators in the ECHL to finish the 2002–03 season. His coaches were told to help him become a strong enforcer. They were impressed by how hard he worked. One coach later said, "This guy willed his way to the NHL."

In 33 games with Louisiana, Derek had one goal and three points, along with 240 penalty minutes. He continued his skating and boxing lessons. He worked out by running up hills and practiced his skills.

Old injuries caused him more pain during his time in the minor leagues. His shoulder hurt from an old collarbone break. One morning, his back pain was so bad he couldn't tie his skates. Team doctors often gave players different medicines to help with pain. Derek struggled with managing his pain.

The next season, he played for the Houston Aeros in the AHL. He had no goals and four points in 53 games. He led the Aeros with 207 penalty minutes.

Because the 2004–05 NHL season was canceled, Derek returned to the Aeros for the 2004–05 season. He scored one goal and five points in 56 games. He also led the team with 259 penalty minutes.

In Houston, Derek became famous as an enforcer. He was winning his fights. The team even showed replays of his fights on the arena's video screen, calling it the "Boogeyman Cam." They gave out a bobblehead doll of Derek with bobbling fists. An opposing coach told the Aeros that Derek was their most valuable player because of his strong presence.

Derek made his NHL debut in the 2005–06 season. He made the Wild team because coach Jacques Lemaire saw how much he affected other teams.

He first played on October 5, 2005. He had his first assist, fight, and goal within the first two weeks. His first assist was on October 14, 2005. Two days later, he had his first fight, knocking Anaheim Ducks player Kip Brennan down. He scored his first NHL goal on October 19, 2005, against the San Jose Sharks. Derek finished his first NHL season with two goals, six points, and 158 penalty minutes in 65 games.

In 2006–07, Derek played 48 games with the Wild. He had one assist and led the team with 120 penalty minutes. Early that season, he seriously injured Todd Fedoruk's cheekbone in a fight. It had to be rebuilt with metal plates. Derek made his NHL playoff debut on April 11, 2007. He got his first playoff point on April 17, 2007, with an assist. He finished the playoffs with four games played, one assist, and 20 penalty minutes.

Near the end of a game against the Ducks, with Minnesota winning, the fans chanted Derek's name. He had not played in that game, but the coach sent him in. He just skated in front of the Anaheim bench and smiled. The crowd cheered loudly. His mother remembered it as a great moment because he didn't have to fight or get hurt.

Derek played 34 games with the Wild in the 2007–08 season. He had no points and 74 penalty minutes. Fedoruk, whom he had injured, later signed with the Wild and became his teammate and friend. Derek became a popular player off the ice. His jersey was one of the team's bestsellers. A team executive said it was because of his "fierce brand and gentle character." In the playoffs, Derek had no points in six games, with 24 penalty minutes.

He played 51 games with Minnesota in 2008–09. He had three assists and led the team with 87 penalty minutes. He ended a 49-game streak without a point on October 16, 2008.

During this season, Derek began taking pain relief medicine for his back. His brother Aaron said that because of Derek's size, he often needed more medicine for it to work. Derek's personality started to change. He would fall asleep at strange times and be late for meetings. The team warned other players not to share their own medicines with him.

That season, Derek played 57 games, his highest total since his first NHL season. He had four points and led the team with 105 penalty minutes. On March 7, 2010, Derek was suspended for two games after a knee-on-knee hit.

After the season, the Wild quietly tried to trade him. Derek became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team. The Wild offered to double his salary, but other teams offered more. The Oilers and New York Rangers each offered $1.5 million a year. His family wanted him to sign with Edmonton to be closer to them, but he chose New York. He signed a four-year, $6.5 million contract with the Rangers.

New York Rangers

Derek joined his new team weighing 300 pounds, which was 40 pounds over his official weight. The Rangers worried he might not be as effective or could get hurt. But within a month of the new season, he proved them wrong. He scored his first goal since his rookie season and won fights.

He made his Rangers debut on October 9, 2010. Six days later, he got his first point as a Ranger with an assist. In early November, he won a fight and then scored a goal, ending a 234-game scoring drought. Rangers fans cheered his name. In another fight during that game, his nose was broken, likely causing another concussion.

A month later, Derek suffered a season-ending concussion in a fight. He was placed on injured reserve for the rest of the season. He stayed mostly in his apartment, dealing with post-concussion syndrome.

He tried light workouts in March but collapsed while skating. The Rangers sent him for rehabilitation.

Death

Derek Boogaard was found dead in his room on May 13, 2011. He was almost 29 years old.

His family later agreed to donate his brain for study. Doctors found he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain condition caused by repeated head injuries. This condition can only be diagnosed after death.

The next season, the Wild honored Derek with a video and a moment of silence. His family received flowers, a painting, and a framed jersey at center ice.

Career statistics

See also

In Spanish: Derek Boogaard para niños