The NHL Needs a Peer Support Program

First, I recommend reading Mike Peluso's article that's in the Globe and Mail.

Mike Peluso, The Globe and Mail -- The rewards did not last long. The altercations were brutal on our bodies, and I suffered at least 10 concussions from fighting. Probably many more. After some fights, I went to the wrong penalty box, only to be treated by doctors or trainers who asked me to name the President of the United States, provided a few aspirin, and sent me right back into the game.

Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak were also enforcers – and all died tragically under circumstances believed to be related to repetitive head trauma they endured during their careers. Their stories are heartbreaking, but unfortunately the difficulties they faced before their deaths have become all too common among retired NHL players.

In December, 1994, I suffered a major concussion thanks to a bare-knuckled fist to the head. I was knocked unconscious as my head slammed against the ice, and carried off the rink. In the locker room I took multiple showers, because I kept forgetting that I had already showered. However, the team quickly cleared me to play despite signs of a serious concussion. A few weeks later, I experienced a grand mal seizure during a workout.

This is another great article that I came across this week. It's written by Canadian Olympian Haley WickenHeiser.

Hayley WickenHeiser, Guest Contributor -- Depression and anxiety are the worst kept secrets in professional sports. In every locker room across the NHL, there are guys who are struggling with the fear of everything — the fear of a bad shift, the fear of pissing off their coach, the fear of getting traded or cut and letting down their family. What also happens in every locker room is that there are teammates, trainers and staff who stay silent too long when a guy struggles.

In the week after Monty’s death, I had two current and two former players call me. They called for two reasons: they too are struggling, and they want to help other players in the game. For the guys who are retired, they are struggling with finding meaning after playing. For the guys currently playing, they are struggling finding meaning for what they are doing and scared it could be them next.

I am not really qualified to advise these guys on what to do, so the best I could do was listen, so they know they are not alone. We need to do more. The entire hockey community, including league officials, teammates, coaches, trainers, the NHLPA, and the hundreds of former players out there, need to come together and solidify a comprehensive support system for those struggling with depression, anxiety and the aimlessness that comes with finding a second life after hockey.

After reading some of these articles over the last couple of years, I have to wonder if some of these guys aren't suffering from some form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Anxiety disorders and depression are very serious matters and they can take over a person's life over if they fail to deal with them effectively.

I am convinced that the National Hockey League need to have a peer support program to help current and former players deal with complex mental health issues like this. One life is too many.

New York Times - In Hockey Enforcer’s Descent, a Flood of Prescription Drugs

Derek Boogard being interviewed for WCCO If you would like to use this photo please leave a comment here, contact me via Flickrmail, or email nvjorgen [at] yahoo dot com. If you see this photo on the net leave a comment with a link to the page. Thanks. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you haven't seen this article you might want to take a look at it. Personally, I can't believe what I just read - I have to think that someone has some explaining to do and there seems to be some questions that beg to be answered. This article does not paint a pretty picture about Derek Boogaard's addiction and maybe this newspaper article might bring to light some things that need to be addressed going forward, most of us don't want to see anymore players' life cut short by an overdose or have their life ruined by a drug addiction.

John Branch, New York Times --- In his final three seasons playing in the National Hockey League, before dying last year at 28 of an accidental overdose of narcotic painkillers and alcohol, Derek Boogaard received more than 100 prescriptions for thousands of pills from more than a dozen team doctors for the Minnesota Wild and the Rangers.

A trove of documents, compiled by Boogaard’s father, offer a rare prescription-by-prescription history of the care given to a prominent, physically ailing athlete who struggled with addiction to some of the very drugs the team doctors were providing. The scores of prescriptions came before and after Boogaard’s entry into the league’s substance-abuse program in September 2009 for an addiction to painkillers and sleeping pills.

Among the findings:

¶ In a six-month stretch from October 2008 to April 2009, while playing 51 games, Boogaard received at least 25 prescriptions for the painkillers hydrocodone or oxycodone, a total of 622 pills, from 10 doctors — eight team doctors of the Wild, an oral surgeon in Minneapolis and a doctor for another N.H.L. team.

Official Derek Boogaard tribute...

As a rabid hockey fan, but also a fan of the NHL, I must say that I have always appreciated the efforts of the NHL tough guys, the “Goon’s” or the enforcers. These are the character guys that with their very presence on the ice keep the game honest and they are also an insurance policy to help protect their teammates. These are the guys that keep the Matt Cookes of the world honest.

In my opinion Derek Boogaard was one of the most feared fighters in the NHL and I don’t know if there will ever be another character quite like him. This is one of my favorite Derek Boogaard moments against the hated Ducks during in the NHL playoffs, the Ducks announcers are some of the biggest homers in all of hockey.

Bieksa, "Rypien loved his role in hockey"

Image via WikipediaThis past summer the NHL had a horrible summer as the sport lost three former tough guys (Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak) to various issues (two to suicide and one to an accidental mix of alcohol and the painkiller oxycodone).

In the after math of the deaths of these three players, many were quick to point to their roles as fighters as a reason that these three people were no longer with us. Two of them (Rick Rypien, Wade Belak) tragically took their own lives and were both dealing with depression issues at the time of their death. According Vancouver defenseman Kevin Bieksa a former teammate and close friend of Rick Rypien; Rypien loved his role as a fighter.

Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun --- Bieksa is emphatic that Rypien loved his role in hockey and fighting had nothing to do with his mental challenges. He said Rypien's illness was too complicated to be explained away by one event or circumstance, such as the car-accident death nearly a decade ago of Rypien's girlfriend or the constant stream of injuries that slowed his NHL career.

"There were a lot of things going on," Bieksa said. "I felt he was as much my responsibility as anybody's. Looking back now, I wished I'd talked to him a little more in the summer. I thought he was getting better. I knew the severity of it [but] I don't think anyone really thought this would happen."

What I am trying to say here is that maybe before we just the gun here maybe we need to step back and take a look “at all the facts” before we jump to conclusions. We don’t even know if any of the deaths are related, on its face each player’s death could have a different set of circumstances surrounding it. We just don’t know.

Don Cherry apologizes to tough guys on CBC

Last Saturday night during the Coaches Corner, on Hockey Night in Canada Don Cherry apologized for his comments where he berated Stu Grimson, Chris Nilan and Jim Thomson the week before.

CBC.CA --- Cherry called Grimson, Nilan and Thomson "turncoats" and "hypocrites," accusing them of not wanting players to make the same living they did.

He also accused those who want to end violence in the sport of taking advantage of the three deaths to make points on fighting.

2011-12 NHL rule changes

Brendan Shanahan and of the NHL and Mathieu Schneider of the NHLPA explain the rule changes for the 2011-12 season. The rule that one that everyone is concerned about is rule 48, illegal hits to the head. Gone are the words, lateral and blindside, also, the head can not be target or a principle point of contact. If a player puts themselves in a vulnerable position that will be taken into consideration as well. There is also some flexibility to call a 2 minute penalty instead of a 5 minute major.

Related articles

• Study: 1 in 10 NHL concussions caused by fights (crawlnet.wordpress.com)
• Study: 1 in 10 NHL concussions caused by fights (espn.go.com)
• NHL Experiments With New Rules at Offseason Camp (nytimes.com)

Does the NHL have a painkiller problem?

Image via WikipediaI don’t know if the blog post needs a lot of narration but the article is worth a read and the revelations from this article are jaw dropping. One has to wonder if the NHL needs to do a review of it’s chemical dependency protocols.

Stu Hackel, Sports Illustrated --- “Today the biggest problem, which isn’t talked about…is pills. It’s painkillers,” Laperrière said.

Laperrière knows something about pain and medicating it. In addition to losing seven teeth and getting hit in the eye with pucks during the 2009-10 season, he’s had abdominal surgery, an operation to remove bone chips and scar tissue from his knee, and various hand, back, groin and neck ailments that forced him from the lineup at times during his career. “After my operations…I took two or three [pills] a day to ease the pain. But there are guys who take it just for the buzz,” he said Friday morning over CKAC Radio (audio), the French language all-sports station.

“[Painkillers] are appropriate for those who need them,” he said. “If I just had an operation, I may take my pills for two days, but the doctor gives me pills for twelve days. There are pills left over.”

And those leftover pills are apparently provided by some NHLers to their teammates.

Asked by host Michel Langevin how many players might be taking painkillers on a given team, whether or not they really need them, Laperrière responded, “The teams that I’ve played on, I would say four or five guys per team, and those are the ones I saw.”

Related articles

• NHLer Wade Belak hanged himself, source says (cbsnews.com)
• Analysis: String of NHL Deaths Opens Door to Tough Questions (nytimes.com)

In the NHL a day of bad news...

Image via WikipediaThere are three stories that I have been following today. Former NHL tough Guy Wade Belak (549 games 8g-25a-33pts 1263PIM) was found dead in his condo in Toronto, Ont... Wade Belak is the third current or former NHL hockey player that has died this summer during the offseason, Derek Boogaard and Rick Rypien also died this summer.

NHL.COM --- Former NHL player Wade Belak has been found dead in his condominium in Toronto. Belak, who played in parts of 14 seasons with five NHL teams, was 35 years old.

A source with the Nashville Predators confirmed the news. Belak finished his career with the Predators and remained with the team in an organizational role following his retirement.

According to reports, the cause of death was not immediately known, but foul play was not suspected.

Also it was revealed today that Boston Bruins star center Marc Savard has not improved and will miss the 2011-2012 season. Marc Savard is still suffering from post concussion syndrome and you have to think that his career with the Boston Bruins is in jeopardy.

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli does not expect Marc Savard to play this coming season, Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe reports.

Savard played 25 games last season, but his campaign started late because of symptoms from a concussion in 2009-10 and ended in January after another concussion.

"Marc Savard won't play this year," Chiarelli told Shinzawa on Wednesday. "Nothing has changed in our monitoring. He'll be examined and he'll be declared unfit to play."

The 34-year-old center had two goals and 10 points last season. In the four seasons before his first concussion in March 2010, Savard averaged more than 89 points and was considered one of the top passers in the League.

If the news couldn't get any worse, today we also learn that former Minnesota Wild and Anaheim Duck's tough guy Todd Fedoruk is also battling addiction issues.

VANCOUVER — You have to give Todd Fedoruk credit; he isn’t shy about discussing his drug and alcohol addictions which he says were the real reason he was bought out in Tampa, ending his NHL career unless he should happen to catch on with the Vancouver Canucks this fall.

The winger says he’s been clean for nearly 18 months, is in terrific shape and is ready to drop the gloves as part of the role he has to play if he’s going to be a regular in the league as he has been for nine seasons, most of those with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Fedoruk has had many legendary fights, the most devastating being the shattering of his face by the late Derek Boogaard in October 2006 when the prospective Canuck was in Anaheim. It had to be rebuilt by doctors.

The first question that comes to mind is what is going on here? Something is not right in the NHL. At first glance one has to wonder if the NHL has a  problem with players suffering from depression... Add to that, one has wonder if the NHL also a Drug and alcohol problem. My next question does the NHL have  a peer support and counseling service for their players. I am serious these are very serious issues. 

Related articles

• NHL Breaking News: Marc Savard of the Boston Bruins Will Not Play in 2011-2012 (bleacherreport.com)
• Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli says Marc Savard won't play this year and might not ever play again (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
• Boston Bruins: Marc Savard Will Not Return for the 2011-2012 Season (bleacherreport.com)
• Former Leafs enforcer Wade Belak found dead in Toronto hotel (thestar.com)
• Report: Marc Savard out for season, career in jeopardy (canada.com)
• Savard's career likely over (theglobeandmail.com)
• Bruins F Savard will miss season with concussion (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Bruins GM says Savard's playing career in doubt: report (reuters.com)
• Bruins GM: Savard out this year, likely beyond (espn.go.com)
• Breaking News: Former Nashville Predator Wade Belak Found Dead in Toronto (bleacherreport.com)
• Wade Belak, Another NHL Enforcer, Found Dead [Nhl] (deadspin.com)

Ex-Minnesota Wild player Boogaard's death from alcohol, oxycodone mix

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThe results of the autopsy are now public, Derek Boogaard died by mixing Oxycodone and alcohol which ended up being a fatal combination because of synergistic effects of alcohol and other drugs which turned out to be a fatal combination.

Amy Forliti, Associated Press — A medical examiner in Minnesota ruled the death of Rangers enforcer Derek Boogaard was an accident, due to mixing alcohol and oxycodone.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner released Boogaard's cause of death today. The medical examiner said no other data will be released.

The 28-year-old Boogaard was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment last Friday, five months after he sustained a season-ending concussion with the New York Rangers.

The 6-foot-7, 265-pound enforcer became a fan favorite in his years with the Minnesota Wild. He played in 255 games with the Wild from 2005-10.

Oxycodone is a powerful painkiller that can be addictive and has been blamed in some overdose deaths.

Boogaard's agent and a spokeswoman for the Boston University School of Medicine said earlier this week that Boogaard's brain will be examined for signs of a degenerative disease often found in athletes who sustain repeated hits to the head.

Boogaard was known as "The Boogeyman" — one of the league's most feared fighters. He agreed to a $6.5 million, four-year deal with the Rangers in July and appeared in 22 games last season, finishing with a goal, an assist and 45 penalty minutes.

His final game was Dec. 9 at Ottawa when he fought Matt Carkner and sustained a concussion and shoulder injury. That was the 70th fight of his NHL career.

Remembering former Wild Enforcer Derek Boogaard.

Yesterday morning I woke up at my hunting shack to find a depressing email on my iPhone from the Whistler; telling me that the former Minnesota Wild enforcer the "Boogeyman" Derek Boogaard had died in his Minneapolis apartment. Cause of death unknown at this time, pending the results of a autopsy from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office... The Boogaard family is going to donate Derek's brain to science.  I don't want to speculate what caused Derek's death and I would actually urge others to not jump to conclusions like some have before we know the truth.


This was Derek Boogaard's last NHL goal which game against the Washington Capitals back in November of 2010. Incidentally that goal by the Boogeyman had broke a long goalless streak going back to January 7th of  2006, that goal broke a 234 game goalless streak.
 
Boogaard's last NHL game was on December 9th, 2010 against the Ottawa Senators where Boogaard sustained a concussion in a fight with Matt Carkner. Boogaard would never play again do to post concussion syndrome.

In closing I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the Boogaard family and may Derek Boogaard rest in peace. Personally, this is a sad day for me because I admire the enforcers in the NHL and I like what Boogaard brought to the ice for the five years that he played for the Minnesota Wild. Boogey might have been a tough guy but he played by the hockey code and was not a dirty player and he played the game straight up and you didn’t see him head hunting like some of the agitators around the NHL today.From everything that I have heard and read Derek was an awesome selfless person that gave back to the communities that he lived in.

Former Wild Enforcer Derek Boogaard Dead at 28

Sad:

Boogaard's body was found by family members in an apartment in the 400 block of First Street North, in Minneapolis' warehouse district, late Friday. Police said they would not release further details about the death Friday.

Boogard was just 28 years old.




I'm sure that Goon will have more to say. I wish that his family and friends can find peace somehow.

Derek Boogaard scores his third goal of his NHL career.

Derek Boogaard is not known for scoring goals but he just blasted the puck past the Rangers goalie like an old pro. I wonder if it will be five more years before Boogey scores another goal? It was 234 games between goals.

Derek Boogaard, noted fighter, will be looked at to do more than brawl with Rangers: John Tortorella

This is an interesting article that some Wild fans might be interested, if anything it’s an entertaining read. Also, I didn't realize it had been that long since Boogeyman had scored a goal. Let’s be real and who are we kidding? Derek Boogaard's only hockey skill is to fight and his specialty is beating the crap out of goons and if people expect him to do anything else it's silly. Also, Boogaard is very effective scowling and waving his finger at the opposition on the player’s bench. Now; don’t get me wrong I enjoy watching him beat the crap out of out players but he isn’t worth the money the Rangers are going to pay him.

When John Tortorella talks about Derek Boogaard, he does so with a tiptoeing delicacy that stands in stark contrast to the subject.

"We all know what his biggest strength is," the coach says on more than one occasion when asked about the 6-7 mountain of a man who signed a four-year, $6.5 million contract with the Rangers this summer. "It's still in our game. Guys feel more comfortable when a guy like that is around."

Boogaard has not scored a regular-season goal since Jan. 7, 2006, and he would love to end his 222-game drought. It's just that scoring isn't what earns him seven figures. [Read more]

When I read this quote, it's very hard to me not to snicker or to break into uncotrolled laughter. "Yeah Right." You're kidding right? If Boogey scores more than 3 goals I would be surprised.

"I'm not sure how he was treated in Minnesota - if he was just told to go out and fight - that's not what we're looking for here," said the coach. "He'll have his opportunities to do that, but we also want to try to help him become a better player and help us by adding some minutes to our lineup."

Boogaard welcomed that challenge. He struggled through the conditioning tests at the beginning of training camp, but made it through, and he hopes that will allow him to get in the box score for something other than fighting penalties. That's what he did in the preseason, scoring on Friday against Ottawa. But he is still waiting for the real thing. [Read more]

Wild to be tougher this season?

In reading Michael Russo's blog it appears that the Wild have found a decent replacement for their one dimensional stone handed goon Derek Boogaard that took the big money and the bright lights of New York. Reading this makes me happy.

The players got more and more crabbier as the scrimmage went on. Staubitz, taking exception to a hard hit from roster hopeful Justin Falk, dropped the gloves with the big defenseman. Remember, Staubitz, acquired for a draft pick from San Jose on the day of the NHL Awards ceremony (I remember because I was in Vegas), has had 20 fights in 82 NHL games.

Staubitz is a tough, good skating cookie, and he's only played forward for two years after spending his entire junior and minor-league career at defense. The one great strength of the Wild this year should be those third and fourth lines with good skating, hard-working guys like Nystrom, Staubitz, Kyle Brodziak, Cal Clutterbuck, John Madden and as of now Chuck Kobasew.

After further review the Vikings and Favre suck

I know this is a hockey focused blog for the most part but I am not happy with the Vikings play to date this season. In fact I wasted another afternoon watching a listless effort by the guys in purple. I think it's going to be a reoccurring theme this season. Earlier this summer when I looked at the Viking’s schedule I told a co-worker that the Vikings are going to go 5-11 this season. I didn't think they would go out and immediately try to prove me right.

I think the problem with the Vikings is the drama queen Brett Favre, It’s no mystery that Favre is a was a good player during his day but I think that his selfishness is finally catching up with the Vikings. Favre again missed all of the two a day training camp and after the two a day practices were finally over, the Prima Donna decided that he was well enough to practice with the team. I think after watching the past two weeks, I think Favre should have spent more time in Mankato and less on the farm back in Mississippi.

During the first quarter the Vikings had a chance to kick a field goal and take the three points, Favre waved the punting team off and the Vikings went for it. The Vikings didn’t get the fourth down and the ball was turned over on downs, that was a defining moment in the game. I blame Childress for that, because he is the coach and he should have taken the easy three points without even thinking twice.

I would actually take a losing season if we could get rid of Brad Childress. I am sick and tired of athletes getting paid a lot of money to put a poor effort on the field. What do you do? The Vikings have spent millions on a championship caliber defense and offense and they can't beat crappy team like Miami.

Lastly, when you in the Red Zone you can not turn the ball over two to three times, that is unacceptable. Also, when you have you opponent inside their one yard line, you can not allow yourself to give up a 50+ yard run, that's unacceptable, defensively, you pin your ears back and try to get a safety or force a three and out punt.

A few Saturday morning links

Apparently Gopher coach Don Lucia is felling better.

Good news: Gophers men's hockey coach Don Lucia, who has suffered from sarcoidosis — an inflammation of skull lining that affects nerves — for the last 1 1/2 years, is back from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester apparently recovered from the disease. No longer does Lucia have to take steroid treatments and nerve drugs.

"I get to be myself again," he said this morning.

Here is an interesting perspective. This is how former Gopher "Hack" Tony Lucia and his father see him. I am sure Sioux fans would see him differently.

“I’m a hard-nosed player that brings his lunch pail to the rink every night and tries to give a good effort,” Lucia said when asked to describe his style of play. “I’m not going to be a flashy player, but I like to play a tough game whistle-to-whistle.”

According to Tony’s dad, Don, his son has always been a good leader with his teammates and passionate about hockey. In an exclusive interview with SJSHARKS.com, Don described Tony as a “gritty, smart, two-way player” who’s “always been willing to do whatever it takes to win.”
[NHL.com]

Former Wild Goon enforcer Derek Boogaard said he had a few teams pursing him during the free agency period.

Make no mistake, Boogaard's primary service still is to menace. The 6-foot-7, 260-pound left wing remains one of the top two or three most-feared enforcers in the NHL, which is why the Rangers' Glen Sather was one of what Boogaard said were about 10 general managers who came calling July 1, the first day of free agency.

"That's more (teams) than Gabby was dealing with last summer," said Boogaard, who shares agent Ron Salcer with Marian Gaborik, with whom Boogaard will be a teammate again. "Ronny was surprised; he told me he thought there would be four or five teams (interested)."

The Rangers have a lot of money invested in skill players such as forwards Gaborik and Chris Drury and goaltender Henry Lundqvist, and Sather said he was tired of them being pushed around. Boogaard believes he can help.
[Pioneer Press]

Boston Bruins Center David Krejci says he is, "on schedule to join his teammates for training camp." That is good news for the Boston Bruins who are very thin at the forward position. [Boston Globe]

Whos going to be the Wild's goon now that Boogey is gone?

According to TSN's Bob McKenzie and Minnesota Wild beat writer Mike Russo former Wild Goon Derek Boogaard is now a Rag (Ranger). Question: So who is going to be the Wild's tough guy/enforcer/goon/equalizer now that the Derek Boogard has been signed by the New York Rangers?

TSNBobMcKenzie: Darren Dreger reporting Boogard to the NYR is done.

Of course there will be some that will applaud the move and say that Boogey is nothing more than a one dimensional player that adds nothing on the score sheet. I think that is partially true but the skilled Wild players feel when Boogaard is on the bench they know that the Boogey man has their back. Personally, I loved watching Boogaard beat the be-jesus out of people and it made for a nice side show…

Sean_Leahy: Derek Boogaard, he of 14 points in 255 career gms & 5:09 in avg career TOI, now makes $1.65 million a year for the next four. HA

Apparently the Wild were given a chance to match the New York Rangers offer and the Wild front office said no.

I am told Boogaard's peeps called Wild for one last chance to sign him, and it was a no thanks at that number.

Boogaard's time over in Minnesota?

It looks like the Boogie's time in Minnesota might be over. The problem is that one dimensional goons aren't valued as much as they used to be, now the NHL GM's want tough guys that can fight, play hockey and score goals like Bruins tough guy Milan Lucic. While Boogaard is a popular player and I like his antics, some see him a side show that offers little on the score sheet but penalty minutes. When Boogaard is on the ice the skilled players know he has their back.

he big debate about Boogaard is putting a price on his limited ice time and role. Coach Todd Richards values the intimidation Boogaard provides, but he hasn't scored since 2006.

Asked if it's a necessity to possess an "enforcer" in today's game, Fletcher said, "It's a necessity in today's game to have grit and toughness in your lineup. Philosophically, if we can get to a team that could be a little bit more of a four-line team and be a team that had more depth and speed and grit throughout the lineup, that's where we'd like to get to eventually."

That could conceivably cost Boogaard his Wild job. Fletcher noted "there are several gritty players available" in free agency.

If the Wild goes the team toughness route over traditional enforcers such as Boogaard and fellow free agent John Scott, some gritty free agents include Manny Malhotra, Ryan Johnson, Arron Asham, Adam Burish, Colby Armstrong and Jamal Mayers.

Fletcher said he'll likely meet with Salcer during next weekend's draft in Los Angeles.

"Maybe we'll make a trade, maybe we won't, which could impact what holes we need to fill and how much cap space we have," Fletcher said. "So your reality can change between now and July 1."[startribune.com]