Washington Capitals center Lars Eller tested positive for COVID-19 while the team was on their West Coast road trip in mid-November. The virus left Eller stranded in Anaheim, California, for over a week as he had to quarantine in a hotel room before being able to return to DC.

The fully vaccinated Eller made the most of his time by getting in some workouts, reading Mark Messier’s book, and binging movies and TV shows.

"I'm feeling good. Happy to be back on the ice, that feels right."

Lars Eller speaks with the media after being a full participant in today's practice. #ALLCAPS | @MedStarHealth pic.twitter.com/DeNbYAL2vq

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 27, 2021

“The quarantine is far worse than the disease itself at least in my case,” Eller said. “It’s not healthy to sit inside for a long time, ten days. I think that’s very unhealthy for anyone so that wasn’t fun.”

Eller has had to quarantine due to COVID-19 in the past as he left the Capitals playoff bubble in 2020 for the birth of his second child.

“Last time I only had to do four days,” Eller said. “This time I had to do 10. After Day 4, when I had felt good for a day, I got a training bike in my room, some dumbbells, and training gear to try and find a routine. Workouts in the morning and afternoons were a lot of movies and shows and sometimes I’d do a little work again in the late afternoon before dinner, another movie, another show, reading, listening, all kinds of things, meditation, whatever. I tried a little bit of everything.”

One of those shows that Eller enjoyed while quarantining was the HBO show ‘Succession’ – a satirical comedy-drama starring Kieran Culkin and based on a media conglomerate.

Lars also did some reading, finishing Mark Messier’s book titled ‘No One Wins Alone’, a memoir from the NHL Hall of Famer that according to Google Books is “about more than hockey—it’s about the deep love and gratitude that comes from a life shared with others.”

While other teams have gone through or are currently going through extensive COVID-19 outbreaks in their locker rooms, the Capitals “lucked out” in that Eller somehow was the only member of the roster infected.

“No one else on the team got it,” Eller said. “Nobody in my house got it. I have no idea where I got it from. We’re trying to count, most likely probably somewhere on that road trip in Detroit and Columbus, but I’ve really only been around my teammates and nothing else so it’s really odd. I’ve just been extremely unlucky I guess.”

As for when Lars will play again, he skated on the second line during practice. He could suit up against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.

“I’m hoping so,” Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette said. “He will be traveling. It’s not a definite that he’s in the lineup but he was a full participant today. I’ll get an answer on him once we go back and circle up with the trainers.”

Screenshot via @Capitals