NHL Draft Memories: Jacob de la Rose

MONTREAL - Five years later, it's still tough for Jacob de la Rose to pinpoint one moment from his draft day that stands out above the rest.

His older brother Erik's reaction to his being selected by the Canadiens early in Round 2 is one of his favorites, though.
"My brother grew up being a Habs fan since he was a little boy, so it was pretty cool for him," recalled de la Rose, who was selected 34th overall in New Jersey. "I saw how happy he was for me."
As was the rest of the de la Rose clan on-site at the Prudential Center to support the young Swede for an experience he calls "one of the best days of my life, for sure."
"It was kind of an explosion of feelings inside you. You've been sitting there waiting for so long and then you hear your name. There's so much going through your head at that time, but obviously I was really happy," said de la Rose, the highest of three second-round picks the Canadiens made that year along with Zachary Fucale (36) and Artturi Lehkonen (55). "I had my whole family there - my mom, my dad, my sister, my brother. My uncle was there, too. I think everybody had a really good experience."

The 23-year-old forward remembers that Sunday in late June being a bit of a whirlwind.
"I think it's pretty hard to take in the whole thing," mentioned de la Rose. "But, going down on the floor and shaking hands with the whole staff, it's a pretty cool experience."
According to the Arvika native, time has flown by ever since.
"Five years is a lot of days. It's been an awesome five years," said de la Rose, who boasts eight goals and 19 points in 119 career games with the Habs. "It's been a lot of ups and downs for me. I've been spending time in Hamilton, St. John's and Montreal, up and down. A lot of stuff has been going on during these five years, and I'm still happy to be here and I'm really proud to still put on that Canadiens jersey."

And, time spent trying to earn his spot in the Canadiens' lineup since moving to North America to begin the 2014-15 campaign has taught him quite a bit.
"Just to get drafted is a good accomplishment, but then the hard work begins. A lot of guys get drafted who never make it to the NHL. And once you make it here, it's hard to stay, too," concluded de la Rose, who is coming off his first full NHL season. "A lot of guys are coming underneath and you can't take any days off in this league. There are always guys trying to steal your job, so I feel like every year is a new learning experience."