NHL Enforcers: New York Times Three Part Feature On Derek Boogaard

The NYT also had three long articles on Boogaard and fighting in hockey. Each one roughly correlates with the three videos linked above.

They’ve also posted associated content, such as an interview with Bettman, small featurettes on hockey culture in Canada, interviews with doctors, Boogaard’s death certificate, etc.

…sigh memories

This is what good journalism is all about. Great series…a must for all hockey fans.

d

In the worst way possible…RIP Boogie, way too soon.

There aren’t words.

I know this might be in bad taste but the fighters know what they are getting into. I think they should be forced to watch this series or something having to do with the effects of fighting. The fighters should know that this could happen to them if they choose to drop the gloves. If they still want to (which I’m sure they will) they should fight at their own risk. I feel like this fighting thing is going to be like the surgeon generals warning on cigarettes saying that these cigarettes lead to cancer and what not you have been warned. People still dont stop smoking (not trying to turn this into a debate about smoking just trying to make an analogy).

when the trainer asked Boogyman if he’s ever blacked out from a hit and his response was every game. I know I’m paraphrasing but I still make my point that he sacrificed a lot just to play in NHL. He was a tough guy and it sucks he couldn’t get the help he needed. even if he did, how much longer would he have lasted in the NHL? For that matter lived?

There wasn’t a single fight in the Tampa game last week and it was a great game. Get rid of it or, more realistically for now, seriously limit it. People are dying, and those that live are seriously compromised.
It’s not just the NHL – all the leagues, right down to the kids.
I totally get visceral thrill of a hockey fight or a boxing match, but it’s just not worth it.

but the Rangers organization come off badly in this article. They certainly facilitated his drug problem by providing too many pills without monitoring the situation.
Their silence on Boogaard’s death and the issues it raises has been deafening.

I read bob probert’s book “tough guy” it was a great book every hockey fan should read. He too battled addiction to pain killers. His wife would have to hide them around the house and call her everytime he needed one his addiction got so bad. It really is a shame that these kind of things happen to these guys, very sad. Probie is one of my favorite hockey players, dude was a straight up bad ass and I can tell from reading that book he doesn’t want fighting removed from the game. It should be limited by the players discretion, it isn’t necessary to drop em’ every game.. Only when they have too and that isn’t every game like we’ve seen.. Not sure why prust and rosehill dropped em’ so early.

I always stood by the idea that fighting is necessary in the NHL so that cheap infractions are minimized. I still don’t think you can ban fighting, but the NHL could decrease the amount of fights with some upgrading of rules. Specifically, 10 minute majors and team fines if a player has too many fights within a certain amount of games.

Then to open the game up and emphasize skaters and make team’s less reliant on one dimensional enforcers, I’d love to see any new rinks built to Olympic standard. All current structures could be grandfathered in with understanding that they have 10 years to comply.

Now in order to be in the NHL, it’s more about being a boxer on skates. The role of being a goon simply isn’t being tolerated the same way it was even as little as 5 years ago. Hopefully this will reduce the number of players with CTE at such a young age.