As the start of the 2023-24 season gets closer, more players are signing with teams overseas. The Rapid City Rush saw Max Coatta head overseas a couple of weeks ago. Now the Rush will be losing Calder Brooks to the Aalborg Pirates of the Metal Ligaen and Champions Hockey League in Denmark.
ECHL and Rapid City Rush Career
Calder Brooks has spent four seasons in the ECHL, splitting his time between the Wichita Thunder, Jacksonville Icemen, and Rapid City Rush. In the 2018-19 season, Brooks spent some time with the Wichita Thunder, where he played in three games. He had three goals and one assist for four points. He had zero penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +4. In the 2020-21 season, Brooks played 11 games for the Jacksonville Icemen, where he had zero goals and two assists for two points. He had zero penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -4. He then spent the 2021-22 season with the Rapid City Rush, where he played in 43 games. He had 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points. He had 45 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +10. He also spent the 2022-23 season with the Rush, where he played in 47 games and had 22 goals and 19 assists for 41 points. He had 28 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -4.
Brooks spent two seasons with the Rapid City Rush, where he played in a total of 90 games. He had 41 goals and 37 assists for 78 points. He had 73 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +6. In his entire ECHL career, Brooks played in 104 games where he had 44 goals and 40 assists for 84 points. He had 73 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +6.
Brooks also played for the Rapid City Rush in the ECHL playoffs in the 2021-22 season. Brooks played in all 11 games, where he had five goals and eight assists for 13 points. He had 10 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +2.
Brooks did spend a little time in the AHL with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (2014-15), Henderson Silver Knights (2021-22), and the Calgary Wranglers (2022-23). Brooks played three games with the Silver Knights, where he did not have any points. He had two penalty minutes and a plus/minus of 0. He played three games with the Silver Knights where he did not register any points or penalty minutes, and he had a plus/minus of -1. With the Wranglers, he played in five games. He had zero goals and one assist for one point. He had two penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +3. In total, he has played 11 AHL games where he has zero goals and one assist for one point. He had four penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +2.
Overseas Career
This will not be the first time Calder Brooks as he played overseas on three teams in the 2019-20 season. Brooks played in Germany and France, splitting his time between the SC Riessersee of Oberliga in Germany, Briancon of Synerglace Ligue Magnus in France, and Angers of Synerglace Ligue Magnus in France.
With the SC Riessersee, Brooks played in 10 games where he had five goals and three assists for eight points. He had six penalty minutes. With Briancon, he played in 12 games where he had six goals and seven assists for 13 points. He had 14 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -10. With the Angers, he played in four games where he had one goal and one assist for two points. He had zero penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -1.
Brooks also played four playoff games with the Angers. He did not register a point in the four games, but he had a plus/minus of +2.
Effect on the 2023-24 Rush
With the Rush, Brooks was almost a point-per-game player. Brooks was also a big playmaker for the Rush with his ability to set up a teammate and finish his shots. This is one area on the Rush team that could be affected by his departure this upcoming season. But a few players that could fill that hole are Alex Aleardi, Jon Martin, or Keanu Yamamoto if they return.
