Boogaard’s brain donated to concussion researchers

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Derek Boogaard’s family has donated his brain to researchers who will check for damage that might have resulted from his career as an NHL enforcer.

Boogaard’s agent and a spokeswoman for the Boston University School of Medicine confirmed Sunday that Boogaard’s family made the donation. Researchers at the medical school have set up a brain bank to check athletes for degenerative brain disease caused by repeated concussions.

Ron Salcer, Boogaard’s agent, said the player was approached by researchers because he played with a similar style to Bob Probert, who died last year at the age of 45. Researchers at the BU Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy found evidence in Probert’s brain of the degenerative brain disease, which is associated with cognitive and behavioral problems and eventually causes dementia.

Boogaard missed the last half of last season with the New York Rangers while recovering from a concussion. There is no evidence yet that the injury contributed to his death, but the Star Tribune of Minneapolis first reported that his family asked the BU center to look into it.

“It’s an amazing thing he did and his family did. Hopefully that’ll bring some information,” Salcer said. “We don’t know exactly the impact that the concussions might have played.”

The hockey player was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment Friday. Police said there were no outward signs of trauma. Autopsy results are expected to take several weeks.

Boogaard’s parents, Len and Joanne, sister, Kyrsten, and brothers, Aaron, Ryan and Curtis, all attended the memorial inside Xcel Energy Center, where the 6-foot-7, 265-pound enforcer became a fan favorite with the Minnesota Wild for his fighting prowess despite scoring all of two goals in five seasons with the team. They did not address the cause of Boogaard’s death or comment on his decision to donate his brain to science.

With a few hundred fans, many wearing replicas of Boogaard’s No. 24 jersey with the Wild, standing in the arena lobby, general manager Chuck Fletcher, former teammate Wes Walz and Boogaard’s sister and brother took turns telling stories and reading tributes.

Aaron thanked fans for showing up, but he was too choked up to read. Kyrsten took over and remembered her brother as a comfort provider – dependable, big, cuddly, loving and loyal.

“Derek was dependable to a fault. You could depend on him for anything you needed. At any time, your priority became his priority,” she said.

Ryan then took over the reading as Kyrsten sobbed into her dad’s shoulder.

“Derek was a teddy bear and will always be our teddy bear,” he said.