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Derek Boogaard of the Rangers died from an accidental overdose of the drug oxycodone mixed with alcohol, the office of the medical examiner in Minnesota’s Hennepin County announced Friday.
In a statement, the office attributed the cause of death to “mixed alcohol and oxycodone toxicity.” Boogaard’s family released a statement Friday acknowledging Boogaard was battling addiction at the time of his death and had played in pain for years.
In a time-release form, the drug is known as OxyContin. Boogaard, a 28-year-old enforcer, was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment by family members on May 13.
The family’s statement followed reports in the last week that Boogaard was in the substance abuse rehabilitation program administered jointly by the league and the union.
Dr. Andrew M. Baker, chief medical examiner in Hennepin County, said Minnesota law prohibited him from discussing Boogaard’s case. A level 1,000 times greater than normal might indicate suicide, he said, while three times greater might be accidental.
Boogaard played 22 games for the Rangers in his only season with the club after five seasons as a popular enforcer with the Minnesota Wild. Boogaard did not play again after the Carkner fight and spent time recovering from the concussion, first at his apartment in Minneapolis, later at his apartment in Manhattan and at the Rangers’ training center in Westchester County. The death of New York Rangers' forward Derek Boogaard, the 28-year-old enforcer who died mysteriously earlier this month, has been ruled an accident, due to a toxic mix of alcohol and oxycodone. Boogaard was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment last Friday, five months after he sustained a season-ending concussion.
Boogaard's agent, Ron Salcer, said he thought Boogaard had turned a corner from his addictions: "The scary part is Derek was doing so well, so much better," he said.
