Prospect Macek having big impact with Wolves

‘Cerebral’ forward dazzling AHL with league-best 14 goals

ROSEMONT, Ill. — To say that Chicago Wolves coach Rocky Thompson anticipated this type of impact from forward Brooks Macek would be a stretch.

“I was surprised at the beginning because I thought his training camp was average and the beginning of the year was average, again, because the pace of play wasn’t there,” Thompson said Tuesday after the Wolves’ practice at Allstate Arena. “You could see he had the tools. But then he got on fire there.”

Macek leads the American Hockey League with 14 goals despite a six-game scoreless streak, and the 26-year-old Golden Knights prospect has adapted quickly after playing the past five seasons in Germany.

“I think the decision-making when you have the puck has to be a little quicker.

You don’t have that extra foot,” Macek said. “It’s pretty fun playing on the smaller ice. The pace of the game is quicker. … I’m still adjusting, obviously, but it’s been a fun start to the season.”

Macek hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba, but holds dual citizenship — his father was born in Germany before moving to Canada — and won a silver medal with Germany at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

“Obviously it’s an experience

that none of us will ever forget,” Macek said. “We came together at the right time, and we had a chance at the gold. We made a really good run at it. It still kind of stings to think about, but it was an amazing experience and to top it off with a medal was unbelievable.”

After finishing his career in the major junior Western Hockey League, Macek signed with Iserlohn Roosters of the German League (DEL) in 2013 and played three seasons.

He then signed with Munich Red Bulls and led the DEL with 26 goals while helping Munich to its second straight league title last season.

“Every hockey player playing worldwide’s goal is to make it to the NHL at some point in their career,” Macek said. “I just felt like the transition timing was right. Coming off the Olympics, coming off back-to-back championships with Munich in the German League, I was feeling confident, I was feeling good.

“My agent and I, we discussed some options, and Vegas seemed like a really good fit. I was just really excited to get the opportunity to come here.”

Macek inked a one-year, $650,000 deal with the Knights in June.

He skated on a potent line for the Wolves with Daniel Carr and Las Vegas native Gage Quinney before Carr’s recent call-up.

Macek is third on the Wolves with 21 points in 19 games and owns a plus-16 rating. He has one hat trick and four two-goal games along with a five-assist performance Nov. 7 at Milwaukee.

“He’s very cerebral in how he plays,” Thompson said. “But guys who get called up, they see the speed and the ability at that level and it’s eye-opening for all of them. For any of our players, Brooks included, that pace of play really has to be an emphasis for them here, in order for when they get the opportunity they can seize the moment.”