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The Pittsburgh Penguins traded Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL draft and a 2025 fifth-round pick.
Eller, 35, previously played for the Capitals from 2016 to 2023 and was part of the 2018 team that won the Stanley Cup, scoring the game- and Cup-winning goal in Game 5 of the final.
“We are excited to welcome Lars back to our organization,” Capitals GM Chris Patrick said in a news 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 Penguins and GM Kyle Dubas made the move after losing 7-1 to the Dallas Stars on Monday. Eller was a minus-2 in the game.
Pittsburgh now sits seventh in the Metropolitan Division before Tuesday night’s games with a 6-9-2 record and 14 points in 17 games. The Capitals, meanwhile, are third in the Metro with a 10-4-0 record and 20 points in 14 games.
In 17 games this season, Eller’s had four goals and three assists for seven points while winning 56 percent of his faceoffs. The 16:25 of average ice time is his highest since 2019-20 with the Capitals when he averaged 17:01.
Eller signed with the Penguins as a free agent on July 1, 2023, and had 15 goals and 31 points in 82 games last year. His two-year contract with a $2.45-million cap hit expires after this season.
With the trade, the Penguins now have 10 picks in each of the 2025 and 2027 NHL drafts. The fifth-round pick in 2025 originally belonged to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Capitals, meanwhile, have about $644,000 in cap space, according to PuckPedia.
Before the trade, The Hockey News’ Emma Lingan and Eric Cruikshank discussed what the Penguins could do to salvage their season after Monday’s loss. Here’s what they said:
(Don’t see the video? Click here.)
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