Habs prospect Jacob de la Rose will be hopping the pond and will likely to suit up for the Hamilton Bulldogs next season, as he has inked a three year deal with the organization, the Montreal Canadiens announced Tuesday.
The 19-year-old attempted to leave the Swedish Elite League to play for the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League last season but was not allowed out of his contract in Sweden.
De la Rose, a 6’2” centreman impressed many with his play at the 2014 World Junior Hockey Championships, scoring three goals and three assists in seven games and helping Sweden to a silver medal.
He registered seven goals and 13 assists in 49 games playing in the SEL, a league where most players are much older and experienced.
Jacob de la Rose was drafted 34th overall in 2013 with the draft pick that the Canadiens acquired from Nashville in exchange for Andrei Kostitsyn.
The Canadiens will hope that de la Rose will stay in Hamilton longer than countryman Magnus Nygren who left the Bulldogs after just 16 games, citing his displeasure with the city and the club.
Another Swedish hopeful Sebastian Collberg was recently swapped to the New York Islanders in exchange for Thomas Vanek.
The Canadiens also announced that Finnish prospect Joonas Nattinen will leave the organization to pursue his career in the Swedish Elite League after notching 45 points in 156 games for the Hamilton Bulldogs.
