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PEAK IN VALLEY
When Brooks has been elevated in the Phantoms’ lineup this year, he’s shown he can still produce in bunches.
(JUSTSPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY)
AFTER A WILDLY successful career with the WHL’s Regina Pats – one that made him a fourth-round pick of the Maple Leafs in 2016 – Winnipeg native Adam Brooks helped the AHL’s Toronto Marlies win the 2018 Calder Cup in his first season as a pro. Three years later, he finished the post-COVID NHL season sandwiched on a line between Joe Thornton and Jason Spezza. Life in Toronto was all he had ever known as a pro hockey player.
As training camp commenced ahead of the 2021-22 campaign, the Leafs found themselves playing salary-cap gymnastics, and certain players were put on notice. “They warned me I could be on the move, because there was some interest in me from other teams,” Brooks said. “I was prepared to leave Toronto, although I didn’t really want to.”
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(JEAN-YVES AHERN-USA TODAY SPORTS)
On Oct. 10, 2021, the Leafs put him on waivers. Brooks, then 25, was picked up by the Montreal Canadiens. That started him off on an unprecedented tour around the league that would eventually become an NHL-record – one that may never be broken. “It was cool to move to another big, historic franchise like Montreal,” Brooks said. “Although I was heading into a weird situation getting picked up right out of camp and starting on a line with (Brendan) Gallagher and (Mike) Hoffman after never skating with them before.”
His time as a Hab was as injury-riddled as it was brief. In his second game, Brooks developed a nagging hip injury due to a compressed disc in his back. After only four games as a Hab, he started hearing whispers he’d be put back on the wire.
On Nov. 16, Montreal did just that. One day later, he was headed to Sin City. “Going to Vegas was so different than what I had experienced in hockey,” Brooks said. “It was my first time living in the States.”
As is the case for most players, familial support was crucial for Brooks. “My message to Adam was…