Earlier this week, the Washington Capitals traded draft picks to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a 35-year-old Danish center named Lars Eller. Eller is a 16-year veteran of the NHL, playing for such teams as St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Colorado Avalanche.
But, unbeknownst to many – and this is a cool piece of trivia to share with your friends – Eller also spent several seasons playing for the Washington Capitals, including during their Stanley Cup Championship in 2018.
You will now learn more fun facts about Lars Eller. Take notes.
Timeline: Lars Eller’s trade back to the Washington Capitals
Also Known As
Among Caps fans Eller is most commonly known as Tiger. That’s what Jakub Vrana has called him (and sung to him) in the past, but it’s not his only animalistic nickname.
Lars Eller calls TJ Oshie’s ‘horse and moose’ moniker ‘one of the biggest compliments you can get’
Eller has been called a “horse and moose” by rambunctious spiritual tween TJ Oshie. To clarify: this does not mean Eller is a horse and Eller is a moose. It means Eller is a horse and moose – that is, some kind of Island of Dr. Moreau hybrid monstrosity that is graceful (horse) and terrifying (moose) at the same time. Don’t sleep on the majestik møøse.
A Great Dane
Eller is arguably the best player from Denmark in NHL history. He’s the only one with more than 1,000 games played, and he’s the first Dane to win the Stanley Cup (more on that in a moment). Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers edges Eller out in scoring stats, but let’s see him eat weird food out of the Cup first.
Because when Eller had his day with the Stanley Cup (again: more on that in a moment, be patient), he filled it with a Danish staple called Koldskål. I don’t actually know what that is, but Rachel does:
Literally translated to “cold bowl,” Koldskål is a traditional chilled Danish buttermilk soup served in the summertime. The little cookies in the Cup are not Cookie Crisp, but a sweet biscuit known as kammerjunker.
My first instinct was that looks vile, but if it’s in the Cup I’ll try it.
The Brad Marchand Feud
In October 2018, Eller got into the first fight of his NHL career. It was against Bruins mega-pest Brad Marchand, who was seething over a poor performance from his team and picked Eller sorta arbitrarily. Little did either player know at the time that it would change the course of their lives forever for the next three or four months.
- Marchand thinks Eller taunted the Bruins bench during a blowout, so he sucker-punches Eller. They fight. Eller bleeds. Marchand gets an instigator penalty.
- Eller hypes their next meeting. “I think it’s just guys remember,” he said. “Just memory. I think people can remember a few months back.”
- At the next meeting, Eller drops gloves and invites Marchand to fight. Marchand declines.
- Eller cuts another promo. “I don’t think there’s a lot of integrity in his game.”
- Marchand fires back. “I really don’t feel I need to try to prove anything. [Eller] plays maybe 10-12 minutes a night. I’m playing twenty.”
The Caps will play in Boston on December 23. Let’s see how it goes.
Let me just add that there is so much good stuff under our Brad Marchand tag. The guy is a scoundrel, but I can’t deny he’s compelling.
Loffs Legend
Lars Eller is the owner of the first and only Stanley Cup-clinching goal in Washington Capitals history. Let’s watch it.
He crashed the net.
But let me come at you with a scorching hot take. He had a goal just as important a month and half earlier, on April 17, Game Three of the Columbus series. Down 2-0 in the series and in double overtime, Eller scored to keep Washington alive.
Again, he crashed the net.
Had the Caps lost the game, their elimination in the first round would have been all but assured. Instead they won four straight and survived to the second round, when Eller would be forced to play up in the lineup while other centers missed time. He was a dynamo throughout that postseason. Check out his season review for a parade of playoffs highlights, which the kids are calling lofflights these days.
Eller’s subsequent playoffs were not as delightful, so let’s bask in the good times.
Lars Eller’s car broke down on his way to practice. He abandoned it on Glebe Road.
In the Community
Eller has been an advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community for a long time. He recorded a shout-out video during Pride Month in 2020, and he stuck his neck out to support Jon Lee-Olson, the first out gay Danish pro hockey player.
“I’ve played with a number of [gay hockey players]”, Eller said in 2019, as translated by Magnus Cadelin. “I’m not surprised about it because I know [players] sometimes are [gay]. But to say it is another thing, and I’m sure it haven’t been easy on them. But they’re brave. It’s really needed – to get this taboo gone.”
On a separate track, and I’m not going to pretend I know what this is, during the early days of the Covid crisis, Eller donated a Cleanse Portal to a shelter in DC.
“There has been a lot of focus on supporting frontline workers and first responders in this pandemic,” Eller said in May 2020. “And that’s really important, but I want to make sure the homeless community isn’t overlooked.”
The portal uses UV light to kill bacteria and viruses on surfaces like skin and clothes, but I’m not going to pretend like I’m an expert on this. Except I live with an expert on this, and she said it sounds legit. I’m going to cook her dinner tonight.
With Things
Eller has been photographed with various things.
@Eller_89 giving out the love! Love this guy! Hoping for a great rest of the season! pic.twitter.com/Wy6IPg1yig
— Ovie the Bulldog (@OvietheBulldog) March 10, 2017
There is so much more. He was a crossword puzzle clue. Travis Boyd got him in our “which Cap are you?” Instagram filter (RIP). He rubbed elbows with the Danish ambassador, an Eller superfan. He hung out with a horse, one half of the weird thing that Oshie says he is.
But just as important: I think he’s still a useful hockey player who can help the Capitals out with a position that has hurt them this season. I’m glad he’s back.
