David Booth III (MOD Warning Post #123)

[arttk]

There's no sugar coating it. And no shift. My point was he was doing the wrong things from the beginging. Bulking up when you're rehabbing an ankle should be considered the wrong thing. This is belabouring a very small point however. He could have been smarter about rehabbing that injury and been ready in time for the season. Willing to give him a pass on that one, but not on all the other warts that have emerged since he got here.

This is the NHL. Produce or get out of the way. He's had more than enough opportunity.

You said this.

"Just said hockey isn't where his passion lies. If it was, he'd spend the off-season training and rehabbing for the ice rather than hunting. "

Now you are backtracking and saying you meant he didn't train right. I think we can get mad at Booth at a lot of things but one thing that he does do is work pretty hard.

 

[BoHorvatFan]

Why the stipulation that it has to be a one year contract, or that the extra cap space all goes toward one and only one player? I'd rather have two decent third/fourth line guys providing depth for two million per year than waste that money on a worthless scrub like Booth.

Yeah exactly, it's called depth and ours has been horrible. Get two guys who can contribute or keep Booth around. Hmmm.

 

[canuck4life16]

He is likely gone and won't be back

 

[deckercky]

The depth the Canucks have been missing is depth on the farm.

Sedin - Sedin - Jensen
Burrows - Kesler - Santorelli
Higgins - Matthias/Horvat - Kassian
Booth/Matthias - Richardson - Hansen
Sestito - Booth

Lots of shuffling around there, but so long as Santo comes back and Jensen is good enough for the show (either can be replaced by a free agent easily enough). Presumably, any trade of Kesler will at least bring in one piece that fits into the top 6 next year, so that shouldn't really change things. Depth is not an issue - that's a 4th line that can handle as much time as is needed, and all players on the line should be good for 20-30 pts at minimum.

 

[vanuck]

Pretty easy to 'wear the pants' when you make 4+ million dollars a year...

Buy him out.

This guy is a hunter, not a hockey player. He just happened to be pretty good at hockey and got this far. He doesn't care about being the best player he can be, he cares about his paycheck and his next hunting trip. He plays like he doesn't care, respect or even understand the sport. Sick of this guy myself, rather see a roster spot open for a guy that wants to be a hockey player.

Another year is just a waste of everyone's time. He's not getting any better, he doesn't care to.

If the guy didn't care, he wouldn't work out as hard as he does (misguided or not). Seems like you're just projecting a certain image onto him when that really doesn't seem like the case. I mean, maybe you can criticize him for a lack of intelligence but caring is not something you can say he doesn't do.

 

[Shareefruck]

My thoughts as well. He just has no clue out there most of the time. He's more like an NFL running back than an NHL winger. No plan, just drive the net and hope for the best. It gets old and is easily neutralized, especially when wear and tear become a factor.

This is what I feel is a failing of statistical analysis.

How is a team supposed to establish rhythm or momentum when a guy constantly disrupts the flow of your system like Booth does.

He's a liability to the overall team, despite putting up decent advanced stats, IMO

 

[arttk]

This is what I feel is a failing of statistical analysis.

How is a team supposed to establish rhythm or momentum when a guy constantly disrupts the flow of your system like Booth does.

He's a liability to the overall team, despite putting up decent advanced stats, IMO

Depends on what you are looking for. The more I see him the more I think he would be a good fit on the 3rd line. Throw him on and a lot of the times the play ends at the other end of the ice. I suppose that is what you are hoping for in a 3rd liner right? Not get scored on, put up some decent numbers and make sure the play stops at the other end of the ice, oh and hit hit hit.

 

[JuniorNelson]

Next year is a fresh start. I think Booth may be there. He was playing well when last seen. I imagine it will be a new coach and new GM assessing the talent. They won't be caught up in what happened here before. Booth might fit a role in the new scheme?

 

[Win One Before I Die]

Booth will be back. I guarantee it. Extend him at Chris Higgins money.

 

[arttk]

Booth will be back. I guarantee it. Extend him at Chris Higgins money.

That would be a good deal.

Higgins dude1 Hansen
Booth Richardson dude2

If it Torts isn't the coach, I can see 4 lines being rolled.

 

[Wolfhard]

You said this.

"Just said hockey isn't where his passion lies. If it was, he'd spend the off-season training and rehabbing for the ice rather than hunting. "

Now you are backtracking and saying you meant he didn't train right. I think we can get mad at Booth at a lot of things but one thing that he does do is work pretty hard.

Yeah, no doubt. I'd say he worked pretty hard to improve his game. It may have been misguided, but if he actually hit the gym, while injured, and packed on 20-30lbs of muscle to try to improve himself as a player, I'd say he was pretty dedicated to his training.
I don't question his work ethic at all. And I don't question his commitment to the game, or his desire to improve himself. That desire and motivation might rival anyone else on the team, but if anything, you simply question his intelligence. I think Booth has a ton of potential, BUT someone has to be very hands-on, in order to properly channel his enthusiasm.

 

[deckercky]

Booth longterm doesn't make sense unless you're moving Higgins (who is a better player). Need to make room for additions of young players.

 

[VanillaCoke]

Booth will be back. I guarantee it. Extend him at Chris Higgins money.

I hope so.

 

[vector209]

Can't believe there are still some who want Booth back. Dude is absolutely terrible. Plays with his head down and all plays go to die when the puck lands on his stick. It's like Reign Nateo said earlier: the biggest indictment on Booth is his inability to change up his game and adapt as a result of previous injuries.

Concussion problems? Still keeps head down.

Athleticism regression? Still tries to bull rush his way through like a puck hog and kills the play.

GTFO, you anchor.

 

[Reign Nateo]

You said this.

"Just said hockey isn't where his passion lies. If it was, he'd spend the off-season training and rehabbing for the ice rather than hunting. "

Now you are backtracking and saying you meant he didn't train right. I think we can get mad at Booth at a lot of things but one thing that he does do is work pretty hard.

I don't see how not training right and hockey not being his number one focus are mutually exclusive. I don't think you're proving any contradiction here.

In my opinion hockey is not his passion AND he's a fitness freak. It can be both.

 

[Reign Nateo]

If the guy didn't care, he wouldn't work out as hard as he does (misguided or not). Seems like you're just projecting a certain image onto him when that really doesn't seem like the case. I mean, maybe you can criticize him for a lack of intelligence but caring is not something you can say he doesn't do.

Why does he have to love hockey to be motivated to work out? A lot of guys just like working out, doesn't prove anything about his passion for the sport. He did the wrong workouts and took longer to come back. That doesn't prove anything in regards to passion for hockey.

If he rehabbed like a normal person, not adding weight when you're rehabbing an ankle, you'd have more of a point.

 

[bbud]

If he comes back with a new decent deal why not ?

 

[vanuck]

Why does he have to love hockey to be motivated to work out? A lot of guys just like working out, doesn't prove anything about his passion for the sport. He did the wrong workouts and took longer to come back. That doesn't prove anything in regards to passion for hockey.

If he rehabbed like a normal person, not adding weight when you're rehabbing an ankle, you'd have more of a point.

I don't get what you're trying to say. He works out hard for hockey but somehow his heart's not in it because it isn't his passion? Rehabbing the wrong way doesn't prove anything either way, on the other hand. Except for it being misguided maybe. But you did say it was your opinion, so...

 

[tantalum]

I think something has been lost in all of this discussion: the words from David Booth's mouth at the end of the year when someone essentially asked about whether he'll train properly this summer.

His response was that he does specifically train for hockey each and every day in the summer. He then said LAST SUMMER he was unable to do that. So yes hunting last summer was his training because he quite simply couldn't do what he would normally do because of the injury. Did he overtrain the upper body? maybe or maybe not. The problem may have simply been that he was unable to train the lower body effectively due to an injury. What he likely didn't do and needs to do is go on the Kesler/Crosby diet of shooting 500 pucks a day, but fitness wise everything was screwed up for him because of injury.

I suspect he will be bought out but with an increasing cap I don't see the pressing need for him to be bought out. At the least he can be a pretty effective bottom six player. At best if his injury recovery truly was in the year or so range he returns to being a 20+ goal scorer. I think it's worth remembering that through all the injury and various other struggles this talentless hack has scored at a 16 goal, 16 assist (32 point) pace as a canuck. Yes terrible for his salary, but he wouldn't be the only overpaid third liner in the league making that sort of money. You can put up with it for another year and if comes around great and if he doesn't it really isn't too big a deal.

All that said he is one strange guy. But he seems to be a nice strange. Except to animals of course.

 

[arttk]

I don't see how not training right and hockey not being his number one focus are mutually exclusive. I don't think you're proving any contradiction here.

In my opinion hockey is not his passion AND he's a fitness freak. It can be both.

Uhhhh. Even the quote you brought up stated that he trained hard to be strong like Bickel. I mean the guy busts his ass to 230ish lbs with a cast on his leg to try to become a more effective player.
I think he really shouldn't have done that since that's not his game but I don't know how you can suggest that he doesn't care about hockey. You can like multiple things at once you know. Taking your stance, maybe I should call him out for liking women. Obviously his fiancé is hot and he must be spending too much time having sex and not improving his game.

 

[Shareefruck]

He works hard he just works stupid. I don't question his willingness to keep his head down and plow through his training, but he strikes me as a guy blocks out criticism/practical teaching and just does his own stubborn thing that doesn't work. Whether he has passion for hockey is moot, given this

Now, unlike Reign NATO, I'm not certain of this, but I hate him as a hockey player and want him as far away from the team as possible. he's a bad influence to the team, coaching, and the system, IMO. I don't think it's something it can be broken down with stats. All I know is that I wouldn't want him back even if he played for cheap, throwing slapshot passes to guys who are two feet away and missing and looking like a chicken with its head cut off in General. It isn't conductive of a strong team dynamic. We're not looking to become a middling team here, we want to actually build something worthwhile. keeping Booth would be a step backwards in a retool

 

[Reign Nateo]

Uhhhh. Even the quote you brought up stated that he trained hard to be strong like Bickel. I mean the guy busts his ass to 230ish lbs with a cast on his leg to try to become a more effective player.
I think he really shouldn't have done that since that's not his game but I don't know how you can suggest that he doesn't care about hockey. You can like multiple things at once you know. Taking your stance, maybe I should call him out for liking women. Obviously his fiancé is hot and he must be spending too much time having sex and not improving his game.

His lack of understanding/passion for the sport is apparent on the ice. That's all you need to know. Training hard doesn't mean you want to make yourself a better player. I doubt the team was telling him to put on 30 pounds of muscle while rehabbing an ankle.

 

[Taelin]

Let's keep this about David Booth the player, not the person.

 

[WonderTwinsUnite]

Booth will be back. I guarantee it. Extend him at Chris Higgins money.

2.5M for ~25 points....

Yeah, no.

 

[DarrenX]

Plays with his head down and all plays go to die when the puck lands on his stick.

And yet, mysteriously, he's a .5PPG career player. I wonder how he does it. Prayer?