The main objective in pre-season and rookie camp is to see what your organization has in stock. Usually every team has a roster spot or two up for grabs at the beginning of each season. In the case of the Colorado Avalanche, the forwards at least, were pretty much set in stone already. Although, the young Swede Dennis Everberg didn’t see it that way. So far all he has done is seemingly all the right things in order to stick with the team. Dennis Everberg is a Swede surprise for both Avalanche fans and management. If you ask me, anyone with their last name ending in ‘berg’ should be given a chance on this team.
Dennis Everberg was born in Vasteras, Sweden on December 31, 1991. He plays right wing, weighs in at around 205 lbs and is 6 foot 4 inches. He’s a big boy and at just 22, Everberg is proving to be a great find by the Colorado Avalanche organization. This is Everberg’s first season in North America, coming over from Sweden playing for Rogle BK Angelholm, in Sweden’s second division. Scoring 25 goals plus dishing out 20 assists for his team before coming over seas, Everberg clearly has the hands to go with his huge frame.
Everberg started the year with the Avalanche due to injuries to the likes of Mitchell, Winchester, and Bordeleau. He got sent down to the AHL for a very short time, as he has since been recalled to the big boy team. While down in Lake Erie, Everberg posted 2 goals with 1 assist for 3 points in 5 games for the Monsters. Now, Everberg has featured in most of the games for the Avs, with 8 games played out of a possible 13. Playing mostly on the third line with John Mitchell and Alex Tanguay, Dennis Everberg has done admirably, even getting time on the penalty kill lately. Watching Everberg play so far, you would never guess that he is in his first year in North America, let alone the huge jump he made from division 2 in Sweden to NHL hockey.
Dennis the menace scored his first NHL goal the other night vs the Anaheim Ducks, sadly it came in a 3 -2 loss for him and his Avalanche teammates. Nothing flashy, a simple, solid, smart hockey play. Everberg simply chipped the puck off the boards, used his speed to skate passed the defender, gathered the puck and just shot it from an angle which soon hit the back of the net.
Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy wanted to invest more time in scouting players from Europe. They also wanted to add some bigger players to their forward depth. They got that in Dennis Everberg. This kid is learning to throw his massive body around, learning to play the power forward’s game, and just learning to adjust to the NHL size rinks. If he could provide the Avalanche with that powerful presence plus his soft hands on a consistent basis, then the Avs surely snatched up a diamond in the rough.
Keep an eye out for Dennis the menace Everberg, coming soon to an NHL rink near you.
