Brawling With Boogaard for Beginners

Jul 14, 2007 3:15 AM David M Singer

The hockey Boogaards, Derek of the Minnesota Wild, and younger brother Aaron of the Pittsburgh Penguins, have their own hockey camp specializing in fighting:

“The main thing is I’m not teaching them how to hurt each other,” Derek insists. “I’m showing them how to protect themselves - where to hold, where to grab and, if you’re in trouble, what to do.

“I’m not saying they’re not going to get hurt if they fight. It’s just a little insurance to help them out.”

There are quotes from parents who enrolled their children in the camp, a mention of mostly negative local reaction, and Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press lets us know that the other Boogaard brother, forum regular Ryan, is the little one in the family, standing at “only” 6’2”.

Derek goes on to make a prediction about the direction of fighting in the NHL:

“The way the league’s going, they’re signing everyone back that fought before because they saw what Anaheim did all year long and in the playoffs,” Derek said. “They just pushed everyone around. Fans were excited after the lockout because it was such a fast game. It was, but then it got boring.

”(Fighting) is coming back. I’m excited for the season.”

Update: Michael Russo, of the Star Tribune, also has a piece on the Boogaards fight camp:

Two years into his NHL career, Wild enforcer Derek Boogaard is already a phenomenon.

Boogaard’s YouTube fight clips are legendary and have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. Fans flock to hockeyfights.com to vote on the outcome of his brouhahas.

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Comments

#1 - Tom from Detroit, Mi. on Jul 17, 2007 at 12:35 AM

Derek, I wish you’d come to Detroit. You’d own the city.

#2 - hdog from Minnesota on Jul 17, 2007 at 11:36 PM

I love hockey fighting, but this camp is over the top. It’s already attracting too much attention from those who hate fighting. Also, hockey fighting should be a spontaneous, incidental part of the game. This makes it look like hockey is trying to standardize fighting as though it were actually part of the game itself.

Boogey, stop bringing fighting into the spotlight. It has already become something of a premeditated circus act in some cases…“ladies and gentlemen, please turn your attention to center ice, where two of our favorite warriors…”

#3 - David Rabinowitz from MSG on Jul 19, 2007 at 03:56 PM

Ryan Braithwaite doesn’t think Boogaard should be teaching young kids how to fight. Read more at MSG’s Game On! blog

http://blogs.msg.com/gameon/2007/07/booing-the-boog.html

#4 - Gunslinger from The Shwa on Jul 26, 2007 at 12:31 AM

Boogaard is one of the best fighters in the game,regardless of Godard getting the duke against him last season. Boogey,Larauqe,Brash,McGrattan,Peters are among the best. I only wish my Flyers would wise up and get a REAL enforcer, forget about Cote et al.

#5 - ally from minneapolis on Jul 29, 2007 at 05:05 AM

Hey its great to teach kids the sport of hockey!But fighting is a big part it. If you want to be great learn from the best its boogaard! If ya can’t box on skates then go home! Hockey is agrressive. Thats why I love it!!!

#6 - Will Armstrong from Calgary on Jul 29, 2007 at 08:23 PM

Derek Boogaard is an idiot. He should not be running this camp. I hope laraque really teaches him a leason next season.

#7 - slapshot6 from minnesota on Aug 01, 2007 at 03:35 PM

Will from Calgary…How does this make Boogaard an idiot? Go with what you know and Boogaard knows how to fight. Just ask Laraque

#8 - ShowmeHawks from Chicago on Aug 01, 2007 at 06:11 PM

I think this camp is great. Fighting is part of hockey and teaching elements at hockey camps, such as fighting, should be required learning. No matter which level a player is at, they’ll have the opportunity to fight, and whether they like it or not, might be required to stand up for themselves. Camps like Boogys will teach the kids how to conduct themselves within the code and that is just good for the game.

#9 - bootparty from detroit on Aug 02, 2007 at 08:25 PM

i think that it is great for boogaard to have his own camp. i dont see why there shouldnt be a camp for kids who want to be enforcers, or kids who want to know what to do if he comes across an enforcer. not everyone can be a superstar, and some of us would rather be a grinder, so why cant we have our own camp? good for you, boogaard.

#10 - mnwild_fan from minnesota on Aug 14, 2007 at 12:44 AM

I agree with the boogey man, the ducks won because of size. Fighting in hockey is about respect and protecting your skill players.
Cant wait for this season to start and have boogey man go after May.
Go boogey teach May a lesson

#11 - David Matousek from Prague, Czech republic on Aug 30, 2007 at 06:22 AM

Well I think from the business point of view, that this is a good idea. Kids in this age are most enthusiastic about fighting and they will make their parents to spend money for this camp to get a chance to become as their idol, Boogie. The claimed purpose - To teach how to defense, it is a nonsence. Just an excuse for public. He can not say - we are encouraging children to punch each other and promoting the fighting. The “graduates” of this camp would get involved into much more fights for sure - just because they will have a self confidence. It is neither good, or bad. In North America is fighting a part of a hockey culture…and it will be so, with or without Boogieman’s camp anyway…

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