Punched Out: The Life and Death of a Hockey Enforcer

In 2011, Derek Boogaard was found dead in his hotel room. He was only 28 years old. An autopsy revealed he had consumed vast quantities of alcohol and painkillers and had suffered from a degenerative brain condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). How could this have happened? reporter Shayla Harris reconstructs the life story of this giant of a hockey player, who was affectionately known as "The Bogeyman." Boogaard grew from a quiet, insecure boy into one of the most feared players in the NHL. He played the unofficial position of enforcer, the one whose goal is to influence the game in his team's favor at whatever cost. This translates to looking for duels, dealing out body checks and blows to the head. In her multimedia documentary, Harris reveals ice hockey for the combat sport it is. Boogaard wasn't really on the ice to score, but to delve out punches and to win dirty - with all the repercussions (and concussions) this had for his head. is a critical journalistic piece that utilizes the principles of hearing both sides and has Harris using the Internet to release her source material. Former Multimedia Editor Andrew DeVigal commissioned the project, and is one of the main speakers at the .