Boy on Ice chronicles life and death of Derek Boogaard

Saskatoon Morning15:29Saskatoon Morning host Leisha speaks with John Branch, the author of Boy on Ice: The Life and Death of Derek Boogaard

Saskatoon Morning host Leisha speaks with John Branch, the author of Boy on Ice: The Life and Death of Derek Boogaard

The Boogeyman's story starts in Saskatchewan.

Born in Saskatoon, the son of a Canadian Mountie, Derek Boogaard bounced around the province growing up. For John Branch, this was the perfect period to start his new book, 'Boy on Ice.'

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Using 16 pages of handwritten notes from Boogaard himself, Branch said he discovered scattered but sweet memories.

"(Boogaard) has great memories of driving back and forth to practices and the games all around the province and being with his dad," Branch said. "Those were his favourite hockey memories."

(Boogaard)very much against character, kind of went nuts on the ice and started throwing other boys down and started swinging at kids.-John Branch, author of 'Boy on Ice'

At nearly seven feet tall and 240 pounds, the Derek Boogaard hockey fans saw on the ice was far from a boy. The NHL enforcer died on May 13, 2011 from a lethal combination of prescription drugs and alcohol.

In Boy on IceBranch, a New York Times journalist, chronicles the life and death of Boogaard. Branch said there was a time when Boogaard considered quitting hockey in his teens. A 14-year-old Boogaard came back for another season, and it was then he was spotted by scouts.

"It was during that season, that, at a rink in Melfort, he, very much against character, kind of went nuts on the ice and started throwing other boys down and started swinging at kids," Branch said. "They couldn't control him. And then he skated off and he went after the opposing team's bench. He kind of went nuts on these kids."

It was a moment that sent a huge ripple through the small-town arena. Branch said Boogaard's parents were aghast. They had never seen their son do something like that.

"It turns out there were scouts there from the Western Hockey League," Branch said.

Boogaard went on to play for the Regina Pats, Prince George Cougars and the Medicine Hat Tigers.

While Boogaard wasn't the strongest hockey player, his job was to protect his teammates. It was a role that landed him a job in the NHL.

However, the same job as an NHL enforcer contributed to depression, a crippled body, and addiction to prescription drugs.

Branch said people will readBoogaard's story looking to assign blame, but he's hoping readers will look at themselves.

"I think people will read Derek's story and think and come away with a lot of different possibilities for who is to blame for all this," Branch said. "Is it Derek himself? The family, the doctors, the team, the scouts, the coaches? But I think there is part of us that have to look at our selves and say, 'Are we just taking kids and trying to feed insatiable appetite for entertainment and when it gets violent are we doing the best we can for the kids?"