David Booth (ice hockey)

David Booth
File:BoothCanucks.JPG
Born	(1984-11-24) November 24, 1984 (age 39) Detroit, MI, USA
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Vancouver Canucks Florida Panthers
National team	United States
NHL draft	53rd overall, 2004 Florida Panthers
Playing career	2006–present

David Booth (born November 24, 1984) is an American professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Following his sophomore year with the Michigan State Spartans, he was selected 53rd overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He played a full four-year college hockey career before turning professional within the Panthers organization in 2006–07. During his sixth season with the team, Booth was traded to the Canucks in October 2011. Known as an offensive forward and a fast skater,^[1] he has reached the 30-goal plateau once in his NHL career.

After playing for the United States National Development Program, Booth joined the college ranks with the Michigan State Spartans of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) in 2003. As a freshman, he recorded 36 points over 39 games. The following season, his production decreased to 18 points over 30 games. In the off-season, Booth was selected 53rd overall in the 2nd round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Florida Panthers. Returning to Michigan State to complete his four-year tenure with the school, he recorded 16 points over 29 games as a junior. In his senior year, he improved to 35 points over 37 games. Booth also played for the NARCh roller hockey team Mission Honeybaked.

On July 20, 2006, Booth signed with the Panthers. Joining the organization for the subsequent season, he was assigned to the Panthers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans, to start 2006–07. Within two months, he was called up to the Panthers on November 20, making his NHL debut that night against the Boston Bruins. After being returned to the AHL six days later, he received another call-up the following month and recorded his first NHL point on December 12 against the Anaheim Ducks. Several games later, he scored his first NHL goal on January 4, 2007 against the Calgary Flames. He also recorded his first multi-point NHL game (two assists) on March 17 against the New York Islanders. In the final month of the campaign, he registered his first game-winning goal on April 6 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Booth completed his rookie NHL season with 10 points over 48 games, while also recording 14 points over 25 AHL games.

Early in the 2007–08 season, Booth was injured after receiving a check from behind during a game against the Ottawa Senators on October 20, 2007. While playing the puck, he was bodychecked by Senators defenceman Anton Volchenkov, causing his head to hit the end boards. Volchenkov received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct on the play, while Booth was taken off the ice in a stretcher. He was brought to an Ottawa hospital for precautionary measurses and was returned home the same night with a sore neck. While suspension for Volchenkov was suggested in the media following the game, the league chose not to hold a hearing regarding the incident. Senators head coach John Paddock was quick to dismiss the notion of suspension, as well, asserting that Booth turned into Volchenkov, as opposed to the Senators defenceman forcefully initiating contact.^[2] Booth missed one game due to the injury.^[3] Later in the campaign, he missed eight games with a knee injury. Missing nine games total, he recorded 40 points over 73 contests.

The following season, Booth recorded his first career NHL hat trick against the Anaheim Ducks on November 9, 2008. He recorded another hat trick against the St. Louis Blues on March 1, 2009. Booth improved to 31 goals and 60 points, while missing 10 games with injury in his third NHL season.

During the first month of the 2009–10 season, Booth sustained a concussion after being hit by Philadelphia Flyers forward Mike Richards during a game on October 24, 2009. Skating up to the Flyers' blueline, Booth had shot the puck into the offensive zone when Richards hit him with his shoulder in the head. Rendered unconscious, Booth was taken off the ice on a stretcher and brought to a Philadelphia hospital. In addition to his concussion, he sustained a cut above one eye that required stitches;^[4] he was released the next day. While Richards received a five-minute major penalty for interference and a game misconduct for intent to injure,^[5] he was not suspended for the play. The decision not to further penalize Richards proved to be a highly contentious issue. Panthers general manager Randy Sexton and defenceman Keith Ballard voiced their opinion that Richards's hit was directed at the head while knowing Booth was in a vulnerable position.^[6] The Flyers captain expressed concern for Booth's health both in the media and to Panthers head coach Peter DeBoer personally, but asserted that he was not intending to hurt him. Another concern was the timing of Richards' hit, as Booth had already release the puck. In response, NHL vice president Bill Daly explained that the hit was not late enough to warrant suspension.^[4]

Booth returned to the lineup after missing 45 games with the head injury.^[3] During his absence, the Panthers and Flyers played each other on December 21, 2009, for the first time since Richards' hit. The game included four fights, including one between Panthers defenceman and captain Bryan McCabe and Richards. The teams met again with Booth in the lineup on March 3, 2010. After fighting Richards in the first period (one of four fights in the game), Booth scored a goal and three assists (completing a Gordie Howe hat trick) to help the Panthers to a 7–4 win.^[7]

Although the league had not suspended Richards for his actions against Booth, the incident was instrumental in the league's newfound efforts to eliminate hits to the head, particularly against unsuspecting players (as was the case with Booth). Several months after Booth's October 2009 concussion, Boston Bruins forward Marc Savard was hit by Matt Cooke in a similar fashion on March 7. Later that month, on March 25, the NHL Board of Governors and NHL Players Association's executive board voted in favour of a rule penalizing "blindside hits" (bodychecking a player after having skated laterally towards him in his "blind spot". That same night, Booth suffered his concussion in five months during a game against the Montreal Canadiens on March 25. While reaching back to retrieve a loose puck, Booth was hit in the head by opposing defenceman Jaroslav Spacek's shoulder. No penalty was called on the play, while Booth was helped off the ice and taken to hospital. The hit did not receieve suspension and did not spark controversy as Booth's previous concussion had. Following the game, Panthers forward Nathan Horton asserted that "It wasn't a dirty hit"; Spacek expressed concern for Booth, but explained that "when he turned I was standing right there and basically he just ran at me."^[8] Sidelined for the remaining nine games of the season,^[3] he finished the campaign with 16 points (8 goals and 8 assists) over 28 games.

While Booth's hockey-playing future was in doubt following his second concussion,^[9] he returned for the 2010–11 season and played all 82 games. Averaging 19 minutes of ice time per game, he recorded 40 points (23 goals and 17 assists). With 280 shots, including a 14-shot effort against the Bruins on November 18, 2010,^[10] he led all Panthesr players and ranked 12th in the NHL overall.^[11] As a team, the Panthers continued to struggle and began trading away many of their veteran players towards the end of the seasonl; they finished with the worst record in the East.

Less than a month into the 2011–12 season, Booth was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on October 22, 2011. The Panthers sent him, along with forward Steven Reinprecht and a third round pick in the 2013 draft, to Vancouver in exchange for forwards Mikael Samuelsson and Marco Sturm.^[12] Booth was admittedly surprised at the trade,^[1] while reports out of Florida suggested that Booth was made expendable by Florida in part to his slow start to the season;^[13] he registered one assist over the first six games while being demoted to the third line. Booth had also been reportedly sought after by Vancouver for six months prior; the team conferred with alternate captain Ryan Kesler regarding Booth's character on and off the ice (the two grew up playing minor and junior hockey together).^[14] Joining Vancouver, he switched his jersey number from 10 to 7, in honour of his younger sister, Rachael, who also wears the number as a hockey player.^[1]

Booth was born in Detroit, Michigan. His father's name is Mike.^[4] Booth has two brothers and one sister, Rachael.^[13] Growing up, he was linemates with fellow Michigan-native Ryan Kesler in minor hockey for two years, beginning at age 12. The two went on to become teammates with the U.S. National Development Team Program, the U.S. national junior team and the Vancouver Canucks.^[14]

During Booth's career with the Panthers, he lived with his younger brother in Florida.^[13]

David Booth

Medal record
Representing  United States
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
	2004 Helsinki
IIHF U18 Championships
	2002 Piešťany

• NAJHL All-Rookie Team - 2001
• NAJHL Rookie of the Year - 2001
• CCHA All-Rookie Team - 2003

• David Booth career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database

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