Lars Eller

At 35 years old, Lars Eller has this physical status:

Lars Fosgaard Eller (born 8 May 1989) is a Danish professional ice hockey player currently playing for the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals.

In the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, he was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the first round, 13th overall.

He was with the Montreal Canadiens later in life before being traded to the Capitals in 2016.

He was one of the first people born in Denmark to win the Stanley Cup when the Capitals took home in 2018, notably scoring the Stanley Cup-winning goal.

Personal life

Lars Eller grew up in Rdovre, Denmark. Olaf Eller, the father of several teams in the Superisligaen and a former Danish international ice hockey player and former mentor, as well as Troja/Ljungby in Sweden, is a former Danish international ice hockey player and former coach of several clubs. Olaf Eller is also a colour commentator for Danish TV 2 Sport for the IIHF World Championships and occasionally for AL-Bank Ligaen games. He is also the head coach of Esbjerg IK. Mads, his younger brother (born 25 June 1995), served one season with the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL, and he also competed for Frölunda HC and Denmark at the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Michael Smidt, the halfback, has also played for the Danish national team and played all his time in Denmark, including 17 seasons for the Rdove Mighty Bulls, where he was captain for six seasons before retiring in 2014. Eller and his partner, Julie, have two children.

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Playing career

Eller was ranked thirteenth overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the highest ranking for a Danish born and trained player in NHL history, until Phoenix colleague Mikkel Brinkker was selected number eight overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. (Danish-born Jan Popiel was drafted tenth overall in the 1964 NHL Amateur Draft but grew up and became a citizen of Canada before making his pro debut).

Eller spent part of the 2007–08 season with Borstinskan in the HockeyAllskan, on loan from Frölunda.

Eller migrated to North America for the 2009–10 season. Mononucleosis spoiled his preseason, and as a result, he began playing for the Peoria Rivermen in the American Hockey League (AHL). In a game against the Calgary Flames that the Blues lost 2–1, he was called up by the St. Louis and made his NHL debut on November 5th, 2009. He scored the Blues' lone goal, defeating Miikka Kiprusoff off a deflection and taking three shots on target in 9:42 minutes of ice time. Eller appeared in five NHL games before returning to Peoria, where the Blues won with seven games.

Eller was voted AHL Rookie of the Month for March 2010 by the Rivermen, and she was also selected for the 2009-2010 AHL All-Rookie Team.

Eller was traded by the Blues and the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for goaltender Jaroslav Halák on June 17th. He appeared in both a center and winger role in the Canadiens pre-season games. Eller was drafted to the Canadiens top line with Tomas Plekanec and Michael Cammalleri as the 2010-2011 season began. Eller was sent to a winger role when the season began, but she was kept pointless in the first five games. His drought grew worse in his first 20 games before scoring his first as a Canadien against the Los Angeles Kings on November 24. Eller played in mid-January for three games before returning to action alongside Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn on January 18th. Eller led his previous ice time by playing 16:53 minutes in a game against the Buffalo Sabres after re-joining the team. Eller discovered chemistry with Travis Moen and Kostitsyn in late February, and the threesome continued their five-game, seven-point streak until March 4th. Eller was given the opportunity to shutting down the Bruins' top line as the Canadiens took on the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. While still playing through a dislocated shoulder, he ranked third on the team with 18 hits in the post-season.

Eller underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason, but the team resurrects in 2011-12 home openers. He was with the Calgary Flames in their home opener on October 13, 2011, where he played 10:57 minutes of ice time. In the first five games, he was reunited with his former teammates Andrei Kostitsyn and Travis Moen, and the three players combined for ten points. Eller scored his first shorthanded NHL goal in a win over the Carolina Hurricanes on November 23r. He stayed as a healthy scratch for one game before returning to the lineup centering Erik Cole and Max Pacioretty. Drew Doughty, a Los Angeles Kings defenseman, was suspended for $2,500 while playing a game. Eller scored four goals and an assist in a 7-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on January 4, his first hat-trick. He became the first Montreal Canadien to score four goals at home in a single game since February 27, 1993. He continued to improve from his rookie season with the Canadiens to a maximum of 43 games in 2010-11. He had a career-highs in games played, goals, assists, and points in his second season with the Canadiens. As such, he has been on a two-year deal with the Canadiens from 2012–13 and 2013–14 seasons. Eller returned to his home country to conduct his off-season training after the Canadiens' 2011–12 season came to an end.

Eller signed a short-term deal with JYP Jyväskylä in the Finnish elite hockey league Liiga during the 2012-13 NHL lockout. Eller, who was a member of JYP, competed with Boston Bruins forward Rich Peverley and ex-NHLers Eric Perrin and Ramzi Abid while playing in JYP. Before returning to the Canadiens in January 2013, he had 15 goals and 10 assists in 15 games. Eller bounced between different lines before centering Colby Armstrong and Moen after being recalled. During a 6–1 victory over the Sabres in early February, he earned a spot in the penalty kill as a replacement for an injured Max Pacioretty, where he scored a goal and two assists while playing 63% in the faceoff circle. Eller was paired with Alex Galchenyuk and Erik Cole later that month, and they immediately made an impact on the team. Eller had scored four goals and 19 points in 35 games as of April 2013. Eller was knocked unconscious after an open ice check by Ottawa Senators defenseman Eric Gryba during the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs. He was stretchered off the ice and later discovered with a concussion, as well as dental and facial fractures.

Eller returned from injury early in the offseason and rejoined the Montreal Canadiens lineup to begin the 2013–14 season. Eller and his staff were discussing a contract extension with the Canadiens organization, but they decided not to continue playing in 2013–14 seasons. Eller was dubbed the Second Star of the Week for the week ending on October 6th, before the season began. He was honoured after factoring in five of Montreal's seven goals and becoming the third Canadiens player since 2002-03 to score three or more points in the team's season opener. Eller's first five games were over 42 percent in his first five games before seeing his conversion rate fall to his career average of 11.3%. Eller was moved from winger to center in mid-October and he centered The Kid Line between Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher. Eller scored nine points in 13 games during the month of October and led the team in goals during the season's early stages. In a game against the Carolina Hurricanes on December 31, he surpassed his goal tally from the previous season in five less games by scoring his ninth of the season. Eller finished the regular season with 12 goals and 14 assists, as well as two on the power play, one while shorthanded and scored three game-winning goals. He also led all Canadiens forwards with 130 hits and 137 shots on goal, while shooting averaging 15:57 minutes per game.

Eller continued to produce and set career-highs in games played, goals, assists, and points as the Canadiens qualified for the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs. Eller was in one of the Tampa Bay Lightning's first round of the playoffs and finished with six points per game. Eller scored the first goal of the series during Game 1 of the Second Round against the Boston Bruins, leading to the Canadiens' victory. In Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Rangers lost to the New York Rangers. Eller signed a four-year, $13 million contract extension with the Canadiens on July 24, 2014.

Eller spent six weeks in Copenhagen, before returning to Montreal to resume his daily routines at the Bell Sports Complex, despite the signing of his contract extension. Eller centered Jiri Sekac and Brandon Prust through the first half of the season, but as his output began to decline, his name was released to be traded. However, he remained with the team and played with Devante Smith-Pelly and Jacob de la Rose over the season's final six games. Eller scored a 14-game goalless streak on March 7th and combined for a string of shots on net and hits with his new linemates.

Eller's time with the Canadiens came to an end at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, with the Washington Capitals re-inhibiting two second-round picks in 2017 and 2018. Eller centred their third line together with Andre Burakovsky and Tom Wilson for their opening night matchup before joining the Capitals in the 2016-17 season. As the season progressed, the Capitals' forward lines were constantly changing, and Eller rarely had the same linemates for more than a few games. In his first 17 games with the Capitals before suffering an upper-body injury during a game against the Detroit Red Wings on November 19th. After missing one game, he returned to the Capitals on Friday for a game against the St. Louis Blues. Eller was matched with Brett Connolly and Burakovsky in December and January, and the three players had combined for 18 goals in 14 games. They also helped the Capitals keep a four-game winning streak by totaling six goals and 11 points as a line. However, their triumph was shortlived in mid-February as Burakovsky sustained a right hand injury in mid-February and Eller was recalled with Zach Sanford.

Eller helped the team prepare for the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, where they will meet the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins in their first year with the Capitals. Eller scored a penalty that culminated in the Maple Leafs winning in overtime in Game 3 of Round One. However, the Capitals recovered and defeated the Leafs in six games to face the Pittsburgh Penguins in Round Two. During Game 6 as the Capitals began trailing the Penguins, Eller gained new line mates in captain Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson. Eller had three assists in seven games since the Capitals were ruled out of the playoffs. The Capitals unveiled their protection list prior to the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, which featured Eller, following their early elimination.

Eller returned to the Capitals for the 2017-18 season in the last year of his deal before being licensed as an unrestricted free agent. Eller signed a five-year, $17.5 million deal extension with the Capitals on February 10, 2018. He had scored 11 goals and 28 points in 53 games at the time of his signing. Eller won his first Stanley Cup victory in five games over the first-year Vegas Golden Knights on June 7th. Eller scored the Cup-clinching goal and finished the playoffs with seven goals and 18 points in 24 games. He was the first NHL player born in Denmark to win a Stanley Cup, and he was the first to bring the Cup to Denmark.

Eller returned to the Capitals lineup and assumed more responsibility on the ice after winning the Stanley Cup. Eller received more playing time while centering the top line alongside Ovechkin and Tom Wilson as a result of numerous injuries to the Capitals in November. Eller had three assists in a 6–5 victory over the Florida Panthers on October 19th, a single-game personal record for his NHL career. He continued to produce offensively into late October and early November, partnering with Brett Connolly for nine points over the course. Eller was moved from the third line to center the second line between Jakub Vrána and Tom Wilson as the Capitals began a four-game losing streak in January. With a 4–3 victory over the Calgary Flames on February 1, the team snapped their losing streak at seven games, but Eller had to leave early due to a lower-body injury. He missed his first game of the season before returning to the lineup for a 3–2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Eller was teamed up with Carl Hagelin in March for his first game and credited with an assist on his first Capitals goal. The assist was his 22nd on the season, equaling his single-season record. He later helped the Capitals win their fourth straight Metropolitan Division title and aided them in preparing for a long playoff appearance. Eller arrived in Denmark after the capitals were devastated by the Carolina Hurricanes in Round One.

Eller scored a career-high 39 points in the 2019-20-20 season, as well as meeting his previous best in assists with 23. Despite his overall success, Eller's season started slowly, as he was forced to return from a preseason game due to a lower-body injury. He returned to play for Evgeny Kuznetsov in a top-six role on a line with Jakub Vrana and T. J. Oshie in the following game. Kuznetsov returned on October 7th on a season-long line with three assists before Kuznetsov returned on October 7. Eller was matched with Richard Panik until his release in February from Ilya Kovalchuk, who was immediately his linemate. By taking on greater defensive responsibilities, the Capitals won consecutive home games against Carolina and New Jersey in mid-January. They had just 18 goals through the first 80 percent of the season as a result of his defensive focus. Following a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Eller rejoined the Capitals in the Eastern Conference Hub to compete in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers against the Tampa Bay Lightning as the NHL resumed play.

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