Derek Boogaard Died by Accidental Overdose of Alcohol and Oxycodone

Derek Boogaard: accidental OD

​Derek Boogaard, the former Houston Aero fan favorite who was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment May 13, died from having too much alcohol and oxycodone in his system, according the medical examiner's report released today.

The Minnesota Star Tribune reports that the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office declared the 28-year-old Boogaard's death to be due to "an accidental mixture of alcohol and oxycodone toxicity."

In the wake of his death, the New York Post (Boogaard's most recent NHL stop was with the Rangers) reported that he had been enrolled in the league's substance-abuse program.

The Minneapolis newspaper said, "The Star Tribune reported last Saturday that when Boogaard missed most of the Wild's training camp in 2009 and the first two weeks of the season under the guise of a concussion, he also entered Stage 1 of the Substance Abuse & Behavioral Health Program.

Oxycodone is a widely abused prescription painkiller.

We profiled the affable, friendly Boogaard -- who turned into a racous fighting machine on the ice -- back when he was with the Aeros.