Dennis Everberg: Colorado or San Antonio This Season?

The Colorado Avalanche signed left wing Dennis Everberg as an undrafted free agent last summer. He came into training camp and the preseason as a prospect. Everberg impressed, and he made the roster.

It seemed like a fairy tale for the lanky winger out of Sweden. He didn’t do poorly at all as an undrafted rookie. In 55 games he earned three goals and nine assists. He also played 12 games with the Lake Erie Monsters, getting five goals and two assists during that time.

Dennis Everberg’s Injuries

Unfortunately, Dennis Everberg was one of many Colorado Avalanche players who had a tough time staying healthy. He suffered a separated shoulder in November that kept him out for eight games.

Everberg recovered. But then he injured his shoulder again in early April, and this time the injury required surgery. Dennis Everberg was slated to miss six to eight months.

Dennis Everberg’s Playing Style

Winger Dennis Everberg is a big boy — 6-foot-4, 209 pounds. He’s a good skater who’s not afraid to get physical.

It’s highly unlikely Dennis Everberg is ever going to crack a top-six role, especially not on a stacked team like the Colorado Avalanche. However, he’s a good possession player and a solid addition to the checking line. He’s also good at the two-way play and can neutralize opponent skaters.

Not that Dennis Everberg can’t score a goal:

I’m convinced this is the play that secured Everberg a roster spot with the Colorado Avalanche.

Dennis Everberg’s Immediate Future

Dennis Everberg managed to come back ahead of schedule, similar to his recovery time with the original injury. (Ah, youth — the kid’s just 23 years old.) He should have been out until at least the end of September, but he came in the first day of veteran training camp.

Unfortunately, Everberg is injured again. He suffered an injury in the first preseason game, and he’s yet to return. He’s listed as day-to-day with a hip injury.

I know head coach Patrick Roy and his coaching staff are made of stronger stuff than me. However, I’ve got to think they’re also a little gun-shy about injury-prone players after the disaster that was last season. Everberg is starting to look injury-prone.

Coach Roy has also said he’d like Dennis Everberg to play a full season in the AHL. It was last season, but such thoughts might be going through Roy’s head again.

The Colorado Avalanche are in a cherry spot. They have a lot of talented young players competing for just a few roster spots. Right now the top-nine forwards seem pretty well cemented:

It’s highly likely alternate captain Cody McLeod will skate most nights for the Colorado Avalanche. Patrick Bordeleau and Marc-Andre Cliche might take turns being healthy scratches, or they might both be off the roster most nights.

That means at most there’s two positions open. Competition is stiff. This year’s 10th-overall draft pick, Mikko Rantanen, is definitely making a strong case for cracking the lineup. PTO Jack Skille was having a good run until he went down with a hip injury. Curtis Glencross is having his moment in a professional tryout.

Borna Rendulic, Andreas Martinsen and Joey Hishon are all fighting — and fighting well — for those final roster spots.

So, is the oft-injured Dennis Everberg relegated to heading down to San Antonio to play with the Rampage? Most likely. That’s not a bad thing, though. He can continue to develop his North American game, and the Colorado Avalanche are assured a quality call-up.

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