Jacob de la Rose’s agent spoke to Hockeybladet.nu about de la Rose’s future in NHL, and it is clear that the Swedish forward wants to stay in North America and earn another chance with an NHL team.
De la Rose took a huge step forward this season when playing for the St. John’s IceCaps in the AHL, producing his best numbers since he crossed the Atlantic to play in the Montreal Canadiens organization. Not only did he grow into a stable defensive forward in AHL, but he also started to produce during both even-strength and powerplay situations, showcasing some offensive potential, scoring 31 points (14+17) in 62 games.
“I can confirm that all Swedish Hockey League clubs asked for Jacob de la Rose’s availability for the upcoming season,” explained Erik Ryman (de la Rose’s agent).
“For now, SHL isn’t even an option, we are standing by and are working with other possibilities. He wants to continue over there [North America] and that’s our aim.”
There’s next to no chance that de la Rose leaves the organization in the expansion draft, despite his promising season. As it stands, it seems like his future remains with the Habs and the Laval Rocket.
Claude Julien will likely want to have a chance to evaluate de la Rose’s game, and the proximity of the farm team being in Laval should benefit the possibility of having de la Rose around for another season or two.
One possible way for a fresh start with a new club could be due to de la Rose’s waiver eligibility, which opens up the opportunity for a team to take a chance on the stalwart forward next autumn.
