UFCanuck Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Remember the post-game buzz when David Booth and John Tortorella met behind closed doors nearly two weeks ago at Rogers Arena? Rumours swirled that the much-maligned winger was lobbying for more playing time in the minors because, as a healthy scratch that night, Booth was becoming less of a factor with the Vancouver Canucks and appeared destined to become a compliance buyout next summer. Turns out Booth wanted more. A lot more. He successfully lobbied the coach to allow highly-respected local power-skating coach Barb Aidelbaum to work with Booth and the club’s strength and conditioning coach Roger Takahashi. Booth’s commitment to regain his powerful stride and balance after knee, ankle and groin injuries the last two years wasn’t just talk. Before the Canucks departed on their last road trip on what was a travel day, Booth and Aidelbaum had a 7 a.m. skating session at Rogers Arena. During the four-game trip, teacher and pupil exchanged technical analysis, and when the club returned Wednesday, Booth and Aidelbaum had another session. The results have been quick and quite remarkable. Booth scored in successive games on the trip, but his bold move out of the corner and powerful cut to the net to bury a backhander on Nov. 30 at Madison Square Garden was an eye-opener. He looked more like that 30-goal scorer with the Florida Panthers in 2008-09 than someone who has struggled to score three times in 18 games this season and has been in the Tortorella doghouse. That goal against the New York Rangers was beyond encouraging. It was an epiphany. “That was technical,” Aidelbaum said Wednesday. “With the skills comes comfort, and with comfort comes confidence, and it works directly in that order. If the skating is sharp, the mind is sharp and they feel they can conquer the world. “Because of his injuries, David was in a protective stance. When you’ve had groin issues, you don’t want a wide stance or your knee over your toes, and we focused on that. It wasn’t like we were starting from scratch; he needed to be placed in the right position again. “He will surpass the top level he had before and it will happen very quickly. He’s very dedicated. There are not a lot of players I know — and I’ve coached hundreds of NHL players over the years — who will stand up to a coach and say: ‘This is what I really need.’ Some will just go with the flow, and it’s a pretty gutsy thing for David to do. “He and Tortorella had a long talk. David felt his skating was off, and it’s like a high-level tennis player: if the running is off, he can’t hit the ball. For him, he felt the skating was off and he was struggling. Things weren’t firing sequentially anymore. “And because he’s a good communicator and listener — and with that coach — there’s a solution.” The teacher in Aidelbaum admires Tortorella. She was working with former Calgary Flames forward Martin Gelinas in the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs when Tortorella guided the impressionable Tampa Bay Lightning to a Game 7 final series triumph. “Never underestimate a coach who has won a Stanley Cup,” she said. “He has more tricks up his sleeve than I’ve seen in a long time. He’s teaching until the bitter end — he’s not just a bench boss. David will prosper under that direction.” That includes off-ice sessions with Booth in skates to properly align hips and knees and then applying exercises in the gym with weights or medicine balls to add strength and flexibility. It doesn’t hurt that Booth is also an elite golfer and can adjust on the course and on the ice because he understands motion and stance. His balance is better because his control of skate edges is better, but Booth’s biggest plus is a zest to improve. After all, you can’t just have passing interest in methodically addressing skate boot structure, orthotics, heel lifts, blade sharpening radius and profile. There has to be a buy-in. “He’s the type of player where you can tell him something and the way he thinks the game through, he can go out and adjust on the fly,” added Aidelbaum, who has also worked with Canucks defenceman Dan Hamhuis and former Vancouver centre Manny Malhotra. “David has got it all going on. If you have the edging and the balance and the starting quickness and stride, that’s going to make for a very good forward. “Sitting there and watching his first game as a Canuck, I thought: ‘I hope his hands can move as fast as feet.’ The speed I had watched like that was Pavel Bure — whom I also coached a bit.” At this point, the Canucks would be happy if Booth looked something like Valeri Bure, who had a 35-goal season with the Flames and four 20-goal NHL campaigns http://www.theprovince.com/sports/hockey/canucks-hockey/Vancouver+Canucks+skating+coach+David+Booth/9247781/story.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babych Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Good. Like Booth or not, it is pretty gutsy for a player to be proactive in a situation like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Bellick^ Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 David Booth is a beast. Screw the haters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nux4lyfe Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Hope he can continue his play as of late, would hate to see all that money sitting in the press box and not have any trade takers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Grimes Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 If he can turn it around quickly, I'm all for it. He's looked like the player I enjoyed watching in Florida lately and it has been great to see. I was done with him; but if he's dedicated and can improve, I can understand why they're being patient with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aladeen Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Awesome article that will hopefully decrease his current whipping boy status. But nothing will do that better than results, his play of late has been consistently getting better and its great to hear her project him to be a better skater than he was. Nothing but good things here! +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watermelons Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Good on Booth for trying to improve his game, in spite of all the doubters. I'm glad to see someone with a good attitude like him on the team. It never hurts to have someone who has a strong desire to improve his game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJDDawg Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Wow. Very interesting. Good for Booth for seeking out the help and "standing up to Torts". I'm sure that it's the exact reaction Torts was hoping to get from him and I wouldn't be surprised with continued success if Booth is skating on the top two lines pretty quickly here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuxfanabroad Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Should this turn out to be the real deal, I'll be posting my apology thread to Booth accordingly. Hoping he makes me feel foolish! Keep'er going Mr Booth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMapleLaughs Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 1. What up with the team not having a so-called respected skating coach of their own? No budget? Hah! and 2. What up with Booth apparently improving so much in just a few days? Sounds incredible. A miracle from God? Or B.S.? If this guy is so good, then hire him full time and get guys like Kassian, Weise, Sestito, and hell, everybody skating faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry Goose Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 People clamouring for trades but really, improvement has to come from within the team. Good on Booth for being proactive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMapleLaughs Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 The fact that Booth had to do this on his own certainly doesn't make the team look good, let lone elite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter.S-Kerouac Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 I find it really hard to believe that one or 2 sessions with a skating coach turned his game around. Maybe it helped his confidence a bit and possibly that helped him score. But I don't believe he is a changed player because of a couple skating sessions. He has so much talent t not much but not much sense. at best hes a 3rd liner that has occasional flashes of greatness. Prove me wrong Booth keep it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 He is changing my mind to buy him out in the summer every game... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herberts Vasiljevs Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 I said he would prove people wrong. Now I'm waiting for Schroeder's turn. I can't believe how many ignorant Canucks fans have said that they know for sure that Booth doesn't care. Pathetic. GO DAVITH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merci Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Inb4 Kesler goes Beast mode Booth goes God mode and Edler goes Lidstrom mode Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herberts Vasiljevs Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Waiting for Botchford and Gallagher to start writing more articles like these. Botch aimlessly spins rumors and speculates while Tony G is a pure cynic. +1 Kuzma! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan kesler the beast Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Just shows how hard booth is willing to work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangler696969 Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 I'm glad he's trying to get better. I seemed like he didn't care that much in his 1st couple years here (His off ice activities) I say I've been close to number 1 on the Booth hate train, but you can easily notice the difference in his play since he got this skating coach. He just needs to keep it up. I'll never hate on him if he plays like he has he last 5 games for the rest of the season/playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UFCanuck Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 1. What up with the team not having a so-called respected skating coach of their own? No budget? Hah! and 2. What up with Booth apparently improving so much in just a few days? Sounds incredible. A miracle from God? Or B.S.? If this guy is so good, then hire him full time and get guys like Kassian, Weise, Sestito, and hell, everybody skating faster. Her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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