The signing of winger David Booth is another in a series of depth moves for the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer and likely marks the end of any significant additions to the club’s roster prior to training camp.
The 29-year-old Detroit, MI native scored nine goals and 10 assists for Vancouver last season, who became an unrestricted free agent in June after the Canucks used their final compliance buyout to clear the last year of Booth’s six-year, $25.5 Million contract off their books.
The scoring forward agreed a one-year, $1.1 Million deal with Toronto on Tuesday. The move is reminiscent to the low-cost signing Mason Raymond last September, who scared off a number of teams due to recent injury history. Raymond scored 19 goals with the Leafs and had the versatility to play in an offensive role and depth role, which led to him getting a long-term deal with Calgary earlier this month.
Booth appeared to be on the path to being a top flight NHL scoring winger after scoring 53 goals in his first two seasons with the Florida Panthers, but that changed after suffering a severe concussion as a result of a head hit from Mike Richards in October, 2009. He has only managed to reach the 20 goal mark once since and has missed 72 games over the last three seasons with the Canucks due to a variety of injuries.
Booth has the speed and skill of a top-six forward and could be a fit on the Leafs second line with Joffrey Lupul and Nazem Kadri, but the question of durability may limit him to more of a depth role. Toronto has 16 forwards signed on one-way contracts, which means that two or three will be on the AHL Marlies roster or could be claimed on waivers in October.
With the emphasis on adding bottom six forwards who can play more minutes and provide secondary scoring, the addition of Booth decreases the chances of enforcers Frazer McLaren and Colton Orr or an unproven Carter Ashton of making the opening night roster.
The Booth signing lowers Toronto’s available salary cap space to $6.6 Million with restricted free agents James Reimer and Jake Gardiner still unsigned. That amount is should be more than enough to get both under contract, but the Leafs would like to go into the season with some wiggle room under the cap and not limited as they were last season.
The demotions of two or three forwards to the AHL prior to the season will open up between $1.5 to $2 Million in cap space and more room could be cleared if GM Dave Nonis decides to move pending UFA defenseman Cody Franson for a draft pick or prospect.
Reimer’s arbitration hearing is scheduled for Monday in Toronto.
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