Wow. The Boogeyman, dead at 28.
A little conflicted, in truth, because I don’t like goon hockey, and I have nothing but contempt for people who think like Don Cherry, their view of the world, and their malign influence on the game. If not for them, NHL teams wouldn’t have to use guys like Derek Boogaard.
Which isn’t meant to take anything away from guys like Derek Boogaard. They don’t make the NHL what it is. They just do the job they’re paid to do, and if there’s a shittier job in professional sport, I’d love to know what it is.
And full disclosure: I’ve got hockeyfights.com bookmarked, StumbleUponed, and memorized. Anytime I want something that illustrates some asshole cheap-shot specialist getting a visit from Dr. Payback, I’m tempted to post the YouTube video of Aaron Downey vs. Jesse Boulerice or Matt Cooke vs. Evander Kane. Or even, God help me, Tie Domi vs. Ulf Samuelsson.
Can’t really reconcile the conflict, in all honesty. Makes me worry that much more about MLSE’s studious silence regarding Colton Orr’s condition.
Sad day for the NHL, for hockey, and for Derek Boogaard’s friends and family. Sympathies.