Ex-Canuck David Booth signs with Melbourne in Australian Ice Hockey League

Booth joins the Ice partway through the season, as the team has already played nine games. They currently sit in first place in the AIHL ladder with a 6-0-1-2 record (ordered as wins, losses, overtime wins and overtime losses).

The AIHL also mentioned in their announcement that Booth is expected to arrive in Melbourne on Friday and will potentially be available to play in the Melbourne derby between the Ice and the Mustangs. If not, he will probably play on Sunday against the Central Coast Rhinos.

Booth spent parts of three seasons with the Canucks, first joining the team early in the 2011-12 season in a trade from the Florida Panthers. He played with Vancouver until the end of the 2013-14 season, before departing in free agency and signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 134 regular season games with the team, he had 26 goals and 25 assists for 51 points, as well as one assist in five playoff games.

Over the course of Booth’s 10-season career in the NHL, he’s spent time with the Panthers, Canucks, Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings. During that time, he managed 124 goals and 112 assists for 236 points in 530 regular season games. His only time making the playoffs during that time was that one instance with the Canucks in the 2011-12 season.

Booth hasn’t played in the NHL since the 2017-18 season, but has managed to find ways to play hockey since then around the world, with this being the first time he’s played in Australia. He’s also spent time in Russia, Belarus, Norway, Germany, and most recently, Hungary, where he just concluded his season last Saturday.