The Fife Flyers have signed another former NHL’er.
David Booth inked a one-year contract with the Elite League side on Wednesday [19 November], following Simon Després through the door in Kirkcaldy.
The American carries a wealth of experience from his 19-year professional career, which includes stops in the NHL, American Hockey League, and Kontinental Hockey League.
Booth joins Fife following a season split between Hungary and Australia, with Flyers president and general manager Max Birbraer hailing the 40-year-old’s arrival.
“We’re happy to get David’s deal over the line,” said the former Cardiff Devil.
“What seemed like a crazy idea not long ago has now become reality.
Arguably one of the biggest pedigree players to join the club, David’s resume speaks for itself, but what impressed us the most is that he is regarded as an extreme professional who takes pride in his on and off ice performance: we cannot wait for him to join our line-up as soon as possible.”
Who is Fife Flyers forward David Booth?
The Florida Panthers selected Booth with the 53rd pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, with his 105-point NCAA career at Michigan State University impressing scouts.
The Detroit-born forward inked his first professional contract two years later, kick-starting a six-year stint with the Panthers, for whom he scored 148 points (87 goals, 61 assists) in 309 regular-season appearances.
Booth was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 2012, making further stops with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings, before bowing out of the NHL with 236 points (124 goals, 112 assists) in a 10-year, 530-game career.
The left-shot winger spent three seasons in the low-scoring KHL, scoring 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 60 outings for Admiral Vladivostok, Avangard Omsk, and Dinamo Minsk.
Manglerud lured Booth to Norway in 2019-20, which yielded 26 points (20 goals, six assists) in 22 appearances.
After taking a year’s break amid the pandemic, he returned to the Eliteserien for campaigns with Vålerenga and Storhamar, signing out of the Norway with 78 points (46 goals, 32 assists) in 53 games.
Booth notched 14 points (nine goals, five assists) in 16 DEL2 appearances for Eisbären Regensburg in 2023-24, before scoring 17 points (ten goals, seven assists) in eight Erste Liga outings for Ferencvárosi last term.
With the European season complete, the former World Junior Championship gold medalist signed with the Austrian Ice Hockey League’s Melbourne Ice, notching 64 points (34 goals, 30 assists) in 14 games.
Why have the Fife Flyers signed former Toronto Maple Leaf David Booth?
The Flyers are winless since 4 October.
That’s a 16-game run, during which time they’ve been outscored 73-17 and reached overtime just twice.
Jamie Russell lost enforcer Didrik Nøkleby Svendsen to retirement earlier this month, with defenceman Brodie Kay departing for the BCHL.
The Flyers are in desperate need of help — and Booth is an excellent start, even if we completely ignore his NHL past.
Since 2021-22, the Michigander has 83 points (45 goals, 38 assists) in 55 Eliteserien, DEL2, and Erste Liga appearances.
Last summer, Booth joined a collection of Elite League players in Australia — and outscored them all.
Coventry Blaze captain Kim Tallberg notched 59 points (23 goals, 31 assists) in 21 games for the Newcastle Northstars.
Robert Lachowics hit 43 points (11 goals, 32 assists) in 22 outings for the Perth Thunder, before returning to the Glasgow Clan.
Brandon McNally — who scored 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 51 games for the Sheffield Steelers in 2022-23 — notched 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in seven games for the Canberra Brave.
Booth recorded 64 points (23 goals, 43 assists) in just 14 games and beat his nearest rival in the points-per game race by a stunning 1.37 margin.
Nobody should expect him to set the Elite League on fire at age-40.
However, if Booth can restore some level of competitiveness to Fife’s roster, the Flyers will be delighted with their latest signing.
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