![]() Be helpful to the younger players that are coming in and taking them under your wing and trying to help their transition as much as possible. “I’m strong in the faceoff circle, (I’ll) be good on draws, be good on the (penalty kill) and provide good offense and defense. “I can provide a little bit of everything to the team wherever it is needed,” said Eller, a 14-year veteran. ( Note: Eller was able to play two more contests than a standard 82 games as a result of how the schedules of the Capitals and Avalanche lined up after he was traded.)īeyond the base offensive figures, the left-hander was in the black with faceoffs, winning 53.7 of his draws (549 wins, 474 losses) and was a steady presence on the penalty kill, clocking an average of 1:38 of short-handed ice time. One of the most successful of an admittedly limited pool of NHL-ers from Denmark, Eller played a vital role in the Capitals’ only Stanley Cup championship in 2018.Ī key component of the Capitals’ second-round triumph over their long-time nemesis, the Penguins, Eller ended up scoring the Stanley Cup-clinching goal in Game 5 of the championship series against the Vegas Golden Knights. Louis Blues in 2007, Eller first took on the duties of a third-line center with some average playoff-caliber Montreal Canadiens teams in the early 2010s before joining the Capitals via trade in the 2016 offseason. Others such as Riley Sheahan, Derrick Brassard, Nick Bjugstad, Mark Jankowski and Carter (last season, at least) have not realized that standard.Įller certainly has the resume to be part of the former group and not the latter.Ī first-round pick (No. The likes of Jordan Staal, Brandon Sutter, Nick Bonino and Jeff Carter (for parts of two seasons, at least) have met that challenge. ![]() Historically - or at least since Crosby and Malkin joined the Penguins in the mid-2000s - the third-line center role has been vital to the franchise’s success. The Eller signing was really, really key for us.” Especially on a team like ours in the way that it’s constructed. “We’re happy that was a great fit for us because that’s a really hard position to fill (with) someone that can come in and you know can play that role but also wants to play that role. Everyone here would be very familiar with Lars Eller and his game and his time in Washington. “Eller, he’ll take that spot here (as third-line center),” Dubas said July 1, the day Eller formally signed. Eller, who signed a two-year, $2.45 million, is largely the centerpiece of that remodeling project. That prompted new president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas to overhaul the bottom six forwards. While the Penguins’ top two lines carried most of the freight throughout the 2022-23 season, the bottom two lines derailed things and were a significant factor in the franchise missing the postseason for the first time since 2006. ![]() But third-line center is where I’ve probably been most effective during my career.” Mostly center, but I have played on the wing as well. I can play short-handed, I can play on the power play, I can play in all kinds of different situations. That’s what I’ve done for the better part of my career. “I’m a player that can play in any situation. I’m going to provide a highly competitive game at both ends of the ice. “Pittsburgh, playing against them, especially in my time with Washington, you know when you’re going against the Penguins, they’re going to be one of the most competitive teams. “Playing behind those guys, I think it will be, for me and guys like me, it will be our job to support them with secondary scoring and being very hard to play against,” Eller said via video conference Tuesday. ![]() ![]() So joining the Pittsburgh Penguins as an unrestricted free agent and working down the trough from Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin isn’t an overwhelming assignment.Īnd that’s what makes him a perfect candidate for the role in his view. He already has been a third-line center behind two high-end All-Stars on the depth chart.įor parts of seven seasons, he inhabited that station as a member of the Washington Capitals with Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov in front of him. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |