A Derek Boogaard Profile, Part 1 of 3

Punched Out, Part 1

Over six months, The New York Times examined the life and death of the professional hockey player Derek Boogaard, who rose to fame as one of the sport’s most feared fighters before dying at age 28 on May 13.

This article, the first of a three-part series, revisits Boogaard’s childhood in the rugged youth and junior leagues of western Canada and his progression from physically awkward boy to renowned brawler on the ice.