Jacob de la Rose has seen many ups and downs in his career since he was drafted. A former second-round selection, he was universally well received when he was drafted, even if he didn’t put up a ton of points while playing for Leksands of the Swedish Hockey League. However, playing in a top-tier European league as a teenager isn’t easy, and de la Rose wasn’t drafted to be an offensive force.
He is widely regarded for his great defensive play and versatility on the ice. His rookie season in the AHL with the Hamilton Bulldogs was going well offensively, then he was called up to Montreal where Michel Therrien fed him to the wolves defensively.