It looks like David Booth’s pride has gotten the best of him.
The former Toronto Maple Leafs forward suffered a non-contact injury during a game this weekend with the Fife Flyers in England’s top professional hockey league, the Elite Ice Hockey League.
Booth, 41, reportedly skipped warming up for the game against the Guilford Flames, only to suffer what appeared to be a serious lower-body injury just minutes into the contest.
Just under five minutes into the game, Booth went to take a snapshot off of a faceoff when his left leg appeared to give way and he fell to the ice in obvious discomfort.
Officials blew the play dead after the puck was cleared and Booth had to be helped off the ice by teammates.
Why didn’t Booth take warmups?
According to reports, Booth had been in an argument with team management over the decision to wear Pride-themed jerseys during the game for a charity event.
At Booth’s urging the team changed its plan, opting to only wear the Pride jerseys during pre-game warmups — a move which angered the charity in attendance and caused a walkout.
Further, Booth choose to not take the ice during for the warmup, which could have helped cause the non-contract injury.
The team issued a statement on Sunday regarding the “disappointment” the Pride night fiasco had caused amongst the community.
“We want to acknowledge the hurt and disappointment many in our community felt due to our decisions on Pride Night,” the team wrote in a post on Instagram.
“We are truly sorry for the impact this had and understand why it has caused upset amongst the community.
“The Fife Flyers are committed to inclusion and aim to be a welcoming club for the LGBTQ+ community and for everyone who supports our team.
“We will reflect on this, continue listening, and work to ensure our values are better reflected in how we move forward.”
When did Booth play in Toronto?
Booth played one season for the Leafs in 2014-15, appearing in 59 games while notching seven goals and six assists. He was a minus-8 with 25 penalty minutes.
He began his NHL career with the Panthers, playing six seasons in Florida before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks.
After his time in Toronto, Booth played one season with Vladivostok in the KHL before joining the Detroit Red Wings and playing 28 games in the 2017-18 campaign.
Booth’s journey to play in the EIHL and around the world recently had been featured on the NHL’s website.
In the feature, Booth told the site that he felt “blessed” to still be able to play professionally.
“I really believe I am extremely blessed to still be playing,” Booth said. “I know a lot of ex-NHLers might be confused as to why I’d still be doing this, but we have come to love this experience after thinking hockey was done in 2018.”