Kings General Manager Rob Blake has signed the first of seven players from LA’s 2022 NHL Draft class. Defenseman Angus Booth agreed to a three-year Entry Level Contract on Friday. He is expected to turn pro over the summer and most likely begin next season with AHL Ontario.
Currently playing in his fourth year of hockey in the Quebec junior league, Booth has recorded 14 points (2G, 12 A) in 29 games for the Shawinigan Cataractes this season. However, he is expected to be traded prior to the CHL trade deadline on January 6.
Booth was named team captain prior to last season, coming off of a breakout year in 2021-22 where he collected a career-high 23 points in 42 regular season games. He later added four more points over 16 playoff outings, helping Shawinigan capture the QMJHL Gilles-Courteau Trophy as playoff champions.
Interestingly, they weren’t the original junior team that drafted Booth. It was the Charlottetown Islanders. They won’t be bidding on his services in the days ahead, though. He’s more likely to go to a top contender, like Victoriaville or Moncton. Either way, the Kings will retain his professional rights even after he’s traded by his junior team.
Last July, Booth participated in his second Kings Development Camp.
Size has also been the issue for the left shot defender. Listed at 6-foot-1, his height has not been the concern. It’s his 176-pound weight that often comes up in conversations. When we mentioned that Booth looked a little bigger to Development Coach Sean O’Donnell during Dev Camp, he agreed at first, then added — “Well, he better because that’s something every time we see him, that’s something that we talk about. He knows too. The first thing he said was, ‘I’ve been working out. I’ve been doing this, putting on that weight!’ ”
Booth was impressive during scrimmages over the summer and again during the Rookie Faceoff tournament in September.
Some of our notes at the time included:
Second-year camper Angus Booth appears to follow directions well. The 6-foot-1 defender from the QMJHL listens intently during drills and executes what’s asked of him. There was a relaxed and controlled approach to his game during the scrimmage, as well. His demeanor is steady. While not big in stature, he looks to play smart. His shot needs some work, but it’s obvious he’s not afraid to put in the work. We already had these comments written in our notebook and then O’Donnell spoke about the 2022 draft selection later in the day during his media scrum:
“With Angus, I think there are a lot of good things there. I think he has a good IQ and that’s a really hard thing to teach, Hockey IQ. I think he has that. He’s able to have a calmness. When he gets the puck, I think he’s able to slow down, he’s able to see different kinds of options. I don’t like comparing players to players who are playing now because I don’t think it’s fair, but he reminds me a little bit of Mikey Anderson. Just kind of the way he plays; I think Mikey was probably ahead at this level, but we’ve talked to Angus about getting a man’s body and just making sure to put some bulk on, put some size on. Defensemen can always use some quickness and stuff, but that (IQ) he has is hard to teach.”
Mark Yannetti, LA’s Director of Amateur Scouting, was on Kings Of The Podcast following the 2022 NHL Draft for an in-depth conversation about Booth and all seven of the team’s selections. If you missed it, that interview is linked below for your reference.
RELATED CONTENT:
Kings Of The Podcast: Ep. 132 – Mark Yannetti, 2022 NHL Draft Review
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The Kings need a couple of very physical players . It looks like the Hits that have brought major injuries to Up and Coming prospects are being allowed , Why ? This problem can and will cause a disruption in Team Chemistry. It has to stop . McSorley , or a Danny Maloney types must be brought in … !
They have Alex Edler in the NHL and Jacob Doty in the AHL.
Um?