Emerging out of camp in a sea of more highly touted prospects was a Norwegian defenseman the Colorado Avalanche used a Hail Mary pick on in the sixth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
It may have taken him four games to draw into the lineup, but the presence of rookie Jonas Holos is paying dividends.
Formerly of Farjestads BK Karlstad of the Swedish Elite League, Holos's experience playing in a professional league, as well as his participation in the 2010 Winter Olympics for Norway has helped the 23-year-old defender adjust quickly to life in the NHL.
So quickly that he's gone from a healthy scratch to an un-benchable player.
The sudden turn around can be linked to the characteristics in Holos's game that have been lacking in many of the Avalanche's recent defensive squads.
Most notable is the speed Holos brings to the table.
Post-lockout NHL has seen the game transition to a much quicker pace, every team sporting multiple defensemen who aren't shy about about joining the rush. There's still a role for the Adam Footes and Mike Komisareks of the world, but they're a dying breed.
Liles has been a goo ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by James Crider
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October 19th, 2010 by James Crider Leave a reply »
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