The Washington Capitals acquired third-line center Lars Eller back in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Tuesday night.
The deal sees the Capitals, in exchange, send a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft (from Chicago) and their third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
NEWS | The Washington Capitals have acquired forward Lars Eller from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Washington’s third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a fifth-round pick (originally from Chicago) in the 2025 NHL Draft. #ALLCAPS | @Shift4
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 12, 2024
Eller, who previously spent parts of seven seasons with the Capitals, has seven points (4g, 3a) in 17 games for Pittsburgh this season. In those games, he has also skated an average of 16:25 ice time per game, won 56 percent of his faceoffs, and was ranked fifth on Pittsburgh in penalty kill minutes (36:18).
Washington parted ways with the Danish centerman at the 2023 trade deadline when they dealt him to the Colorado Avalanche for a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. They then used that second-round pick to acquire Andrew Mangiapane from the Calgary Flames.
“We are excited to welcome Lars back to our organization,” general manager Chris Patrick said in a press release. “This move enhances our depth at the critical center position. Lars is a versatile player, that we are confident will strengthen our team’s depth and competitiveness.”
The 35-year-old pivot signed a two-year deal with the Penguins in free agency before the 2023-24 season. Eller first returned to DC as a Penguins player during the Capitals’ 2023-24 home opener and received a standing ovation from the crowd. He also became the first Danish player to play 1,000 NHL games last January.
Eller, nicknamed “Tiger” by his Capitals teammates in his previous stint, is perhaps most famous for scoring the game-winning goal to seal Washington’s first-ever Stanley Cup in 2018. The veteran forward pitched in an incredible 18 points (7g, 11a) in 24 playoff games during that successful championship run.
Eller played 488 regular-season games for the Capitals from 2016-23, recording 208 points (87g, 121a). He was a mainstay on the team’s third line, where Spencer Carbery will likely slot him on today’s Capitals team. Washington has seen Hendrix Lapierre and Mike Sgarbossa unable to lock the spot down this season.
Eller has a $2.45 million cap hit this season and will be an unrestricted free agent in July. Washington could fit his deal under the cap due to the LTIR savings from Nicklas Backstrom and TJ Oshie’s contracts and the money they recouped from Evgeny Kuznetsov’s move to the KHL.
After acquiring Eller, #ALLCAPS have $644K Cap Space remaining in LTIR.https://t.co/GLAD2aJZIE
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) November 12, 2024
Here’s the press release from the Capitals:
Capitals Acquire Lars Eller from Pittsburgh Penguins
2018 Stanley Cup champion returns to Washington
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have acquired forward Lars Eller from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Washington’s third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a fifth-round pick (originally from Chicago) in the 2025 NHL Draft, senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick announced today.
“We are excited to welcome Lars back to our organization,” said Patrick. “This move enhances our depth at the critical center position. Lars is a versatile player, that we are confident will strengthen our team’s depth and competitiveness.”
Eller, 35, has recorded seven points (4g, 3a) in 17 games with Pittsburgh this season. The 6’2”, 208-pound center has won 56.0 percent of his face-offs and averaged 16:25 of ice time per game.
Eller previously spent seven seasons with Washington from 2016-23, recording 208 points (87g, 121a) in 488 games. Eller was a member of the 2018 Stanley Cup winning team and scored the Cup-clinching goal in Game 5 of the Final against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Capitals originally acquired Eller from the Montreal Canadiens ahead of the 2016-17 season and during his first tenure with Washington Eller ranked second on the team in games played, sixth in goals and seventh in points. The Rodovre, Denmark native also registered 31 points (9g, 22a) in 59 Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Capitals, including a career-high 18 points (7g, 11a) in 24 games in 2018.
In 1,053 career NHL games with Washington, Pittsburgh, Colorado, Montreal and St. Louis, Eller has recorded 409 points (182g, 227a).
