Derek Boogaard's death ruled an accidental drug overdose

Derek Boogaard died from a lethal mixture of alcohol and oxycodone, according to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, which on Friday ruled the NHL enforcer's death an accident.

Boogaard, a fan favorite during his five seasons with the Minnesota Wild, was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment last Friday. He was 28.

Oxycodone is a semi-synthetic painkiller, also known as OxyContin. The New York Post reported Boogaard was in the in the NHL/NHLPA Substance Abuse & Behavioral Health Program in the weeks prior to his death, but the medical examiner declined to speculate on cause of death before toxicity reports returned.

A seventh-round pick by the Wild in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, Boogaard played his first five NHL seasons with the Wild before signing a four-year, $6.5 million contract with the New York Rangers in July. He played in 22 games with the Rangers before suffering a season-ending concussion in a fight with Ottawa's Matt Carkner on Dec. 9.

Boogaard's family has pledged to donate his brain for concussion research.

Tom Pelissero is Senior Editor and columnist for 1500ESPN.com. He hosts from 6 to 8 p.m. weeknights and co-hosts from 10 a.m. to noon Sundays on 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
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