Was New York Rangers hocky player Derek Boogaard’s death in any way linked to the concussion he sustained in December?
You can bet that’s the question that’s in everyone’s mind after the news broke Friday that the 28-year-old was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment. An autopsy was set for today, Saturday.
The New York Times Saturday characterized Boogaard as “one of the toughest fighters in the NHL.” When he joined the Rangers, he was quoted as saying, “I am not afraid to do what I do.” Maybe he should have been.
At 6-feet-7 and 265 pounds, Boogaard was built for the brutal game of hockey. He joined the Rangers last summer, after signing a $6.5 million contract, after playing for the Minnesota Wild.
According to The Times, Boogaard was involved in seven fights this season, and the last one, “the 70th of his NHL career,” resulting in a serious concussion. That took place Dec. 9 in a scrap with the Senators’ Matt Carkner.
Boogaard had been not been able to play since that fight, and he had been convalescing in Minnesota. He had complained to The Star-Tribune of Minneapolis that he had to wear sunglasses when he went outdoors because the sun bothered his eyes.
So why did he die? Did the concussions he suffered during his career, particularly the horrendous one last December, play a part in his death? Was he depressed after not being able to play most of the season?
Hopefully, we’ll have an answer soon.
Print Friendly Version
Save Page as PDF
New published data connects jaw related trauma and concussion, specifically in those with temporal mandibular joint dysfunction. Commonly known as the boxers “glass Jaw”, this diagnosable condition has been long known to make a boxer more prone to ko. These same boxers who suffer many “events” are the same group found to have pugilistica dementia. The original name for CTE, this flaw in research, renaming the disease, has created much confusion about its origin.Linking this epidemic to boxers and its origin, the “glass jaw” is the only way those who suffer both jaw related trauma and concussion will see results. Mick Colegeo reported Bergeron had been fitted with one of these corrective lower jaw devices just after his second concussion. Yet recent game tape shows him chewing on a common upper rubberized guard that most dentists make to protect the only teeth. Much like a splint in the shoe to balance the hip joints of a person with one leg longer than the other, these orthotic guards used by the N.E. Patriots and Marvin Hagler, should be mandated in those with demonstrated imbalances in bite. This evaluation protocol and its research were accepted for presentation at the 08 Zurich concussion conference and peer reviewed by a Harvard expert and is directly related to a funded military research initiative. What is the risk of spear heading this problem with such a protocol when nothing else has worked, experts agree helmets are not the answer, why is the neurological community reluctant to accept this fact, boxers with “glass jaw” were the first group to develop CTE and die horrable deaths. It’s the first sport to mandate mouth guards, yet the NFL, NHL and NBA have not. To much is at stake to leave this stone unturned. http://www.mahercor.com