When Lars Eller took the ice against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night, he reached another incredible milestone in his career.
Eller played his 1,200th NHL game, becoming just the 143rd player in league history to reach the mark and tying San Jose Sharks great Owen Nolan on the all-time games-played list.
Speaking ahead of the game, Eller told the Panthers’ Jameson Olive that it was a “blessing and privilege.”
“You know, when you’re in it every day and you just game after game or season after season, it becomes normal and just becomes part of your everyday life,” Eller said. “But every time you get a big round number, thousand, whatever, now twelve hundred. But if I reflect and look back, it’s pretty special.
“And I think when I was a kid, I think playing in the NHL probably wasn’t even on the map or viewed as something realistic. It was something that was so far away. So I think the little kid would be proud today, for sure, and just continue living the dream and doing what you love for this many years.”
In honor of his accomplishment, the Panthers had Eller read out the starting lineups inside the locker room, where he referred to himself as Mr. 1200 when he got to his name.
Eller skated on the right wing of Florida’s third line with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen, receiving 18:22 of ice time in the Panthers’ 5-3 win.
Originally selected 13th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2007 NHL Draft, Eller has recorded 447 points (194g, 253a) across 18 NHL seasons. The Danish center has played for seven franchises: the Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals, Colorado Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, and Florida Panthers.
Eller spent nearly half his career — parts of eight seasons — with Washington across two stints (2016–2023 and 2024–25), posting 223 points (93g, 130a) in 551 regular-season games. A dependable third-line center, Eller posted career highs in goals (18, 2017–18) and points (39, 2019–20) during his time in the District.
His greatest achievement came during the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup championship run. Eller scored the double-overtime winner against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Game 3 of the first round, giving the Capitals their first postseason victory after losing the series’ first two games.
He later scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the Final, becoming the first Danish-born player to win the championship. Eller finished that historic playoff run with seven goals and 18 points in 24 games.
In January 2024, Eller became the first Danish-born player to reach 1,000 NHL games, scoring a goal in his milestone appearance with Pittsburgh.
Now 37, Eller has reached 1,200 NHL games, further cementing his place as the most experienced Danish player in league history. He has 275 more games played than Frans Nielsen.
Most NHL games played by Denmark-born players
| Rank | Player | Position | Years Played | Games Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lars Eller | C | 2009–present | 1,200 |
| 2 | Frans Nielsen | C | 2006–2021 | 925 |
| 3 | Nikolaj Ehlers | LW | 2015–present | 773 |
| 4 | Oliver Bjorkstrand | RW | 2015–present | 720 |
| 5 | Mikkel Bødker | LW | 2008–2020 | 709 |
| 6 | Jannik Hansen | RW | 2007–2018 | 626 |
| 7 | Frederik Andersen | G | 2013–2026 | 552 |
| 8 | Peter Regin | C | 2008–2015 | 243 |
| 9 | Poul Popiel | D | 1965–1980 | 225 |
| 10 | Philip Larsen | D | 2009–2017 | 151 |
When asked how Eller has assimilated with the Panthers and stayed a core depth player in the NHL so long, Florida head coach Paul Maurice compared him to Eric Staal, one of his former players. Staal played 18 NHL seasons, spanning 20 years from 2003–04 through 2022–23, and spent his final year with the Panthers.
“It’s not the same as Eric Staal, because Eric was a different style of player. He made an incredible change in the way in his role,” Maurice said. “But what there is is a consistency between both men, I would say a great consistency in the fundamentals of the game.
“So he has had very little aberration here at this age because he just does all the right hard things,” Maurice continued. “Now, maybe it doesn’t go for him quite as often as it did when he was 28 or 29, but the mind hasn’t changed, and it hasn’t slowed, and his intensity and his quickness are really, really good. We see good legs on him.
“And then he can get a shot off. He still has that set of hands, and he can make a play. So he’s got a version of Sam Reinhart‘s brain, and that allows him to be relevant at this age. But I think at the core, his shift length is right all the time. He knows where his check is. He’s doing the right things, and then he does it night after night.”
Eller signed a one-year, $850k contract with the Panthers over the offseason, paying him the veteran minimum.
