MAC Preview

2018.09.07. 10:10 |

MAC is the defending Hungarian champions, starting this season along with DVTK they will be playing in the Slovak Extraliga. The stronger league will be a new challenge that the Budapest squad is ready to tackle.

With moving to the Extraliga MAC will need to be stronger on all areas of the ice, goaltending, defending and attacking. They tried to cover all of these areas during the offseason.

Gergely Majoross is back as the skipper for MAC for his four season. Assisting him will be former MAC player Viktor Tokaji.

Goaltending will be strong point for the team as they have two national team goalies. Bence Bálizs has been with the club since the start and was one of the top goalies in the league. In the Extraliga a team needs to top notch netminders if they want to compete. During the offseason they were able to sign Miklós Rajna, who returns to the capital after seven seasons.

On defence the team returns almost everyone, the changed one import player. Cameron Burt has been an offensive minded defender just about everywhere he played. Scott Macauley is also a player that can help the offensive side, but is also a shut down defender in his own end of the ice as well. The leader of this unite is team captain and national team player Tamás Pozsgai, he is a solid defender who is also a great leader in the locker room. Jesse Dudás is hard nosed defender who has an absolute rocket for a shot, he is very useful when he get open on the blueline, because of injuries his playing style has changed somewhat, however they could be for his benefit as the rules of hockey are changing. The team also has three young but talented defencemen. Zsombor Garát is a member of the national team and has lots of international experience despite his young age. Roland Vokla has been a stable player and Nándor Fejes has great potential and is the player to keep an eye on. Last year his season was cut short because of an injury.

MAC has scoring depth, and this is something that a team needs of they want to make a deep playoff run. Just like on defense they club returns most of their offensive production as they return seven out of their top eight scoring forwards from last season. The import forwards on the roster are Jared Brown, Chris Langkow and Tomas Klempa. Jared Brown might not be the biggest guy on the ice, however he is a player that no one likes to face, he can score but can also get under the skin of opposing players. Tomas Klempa, a Slovak player is similar to Brown but is a better passer, he has great vision and can set up his linemates.  Chris Langkow was an offseason pick up from North American is the big forward split the season between the AHL and the ECHL. Chris Bodó and Brance Orbán are a pair of fast forwards who have found success the recent years when they have played together on one line. These five forwards along with Keegan Dansereau, who is pure goal scorer the team has six forwards that they can spread evenly through the top three lines. Krisztián Nagy is a type of player that can play center or on the wings, but also can be a scorer on the top two lines or a grinder on the bottom lines. István Terbócs is a young player who has been with the team since the start and is ready to play at the next level. Mátyás Odnoga spent last season with Dunaújváros, the forward has the potential to be a real playmaker if he can adjust to the speed of the Slovak Extraliga. MAC also has a trio of young players who will be fund to watch and have tremendous upside, Ákos Szigeti and Brúnó Kreisz return to MAC after spending last season abroad. Kevin Szabad played the past few season with the Vienna Capitals.

Gergely Majoross, head coach: We have a  great group of guys and everyone is happy to be a part of the team. Everyone is trying to get the team to the highest level possible. We are a high energy team, which has a lot to do with us having a lot of young players. This fits into the style of play I like to have on the team. Our team speed will be one of our strengths. We can’t say that the team has an exact goal for the season since we are new to the league. We are here to win games, not just to go out and see what the hockey is like out there. We have a roster that works hard and we will do our best. We will see how far this gets us.

Players added: Miklós Rajna (Fehérvár), Gábor Bugár (Bodens, J20 Elit), Cameron Burt (Braehead, EIHL), Máté Seregély (Ontario Hockey Academy, HEOMAAA), Brúnó Kreisz (KalPa, Jr. A SM-Liga), Chris Langkow (Worcester, ECHL), Mátyás Odnoga (Dunaújváros), Kevin Szabad (Vienna), Ákos Szigeti (Springfield, WSHL)

Players who left: Gergely Arany (Ferencváros), Erik Keresztury (Regensburg, GER3), Bronson Kovács, Dávid Molnár (DEAC), Balázsi Somogyi (DVTK), Gergely Tóth (Dunaújváros), Richárd Tóth (Ferencváros), Wes Cunningham, Mathias Mansson (unknown)