Lars Eller

Playing career

In the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, he was selected thirteenth overall by the St. Louis Blues, the highest ranking for a Danish born and trained player in NHL history until friend and former teammate Mikkel Bødker was selected number eight overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. (Danish-born Jan Popiel was drafted tenth overall in the 1964 NHL Amateur Draft but grew up in and became a citizen of Canada before making his pro debut.)

Eller spent part of the 2007–08 season with Borås in the HockeyAllsvenskan, on loan from Frölunda.

Eller moved to North America for the 2009–10 season. His preseason was spoiled by mononucleosis and, as a result, he started the season in Peoria. He was called up by St. Louis and made his NHL debut on 5 November 2009 in a game against the Calgary Flames in which the Blues lost 2–1. He scored the only Blues goal, beating Miikka Kiprusoff off of a deflection and had three shots on goal in 9:42 minutes of ice time. Eller appeared in five NHL games before returning to the Peoria Rivermen, finishing the season with seven games for the St. Louis Blues.

In Peoria, Eller was named AHL Rookie of the Month for the month of March and was also selected for the 2009–10 AHL All-Rookie Team.

On 17 June 2010, he was traded by the Blues to the Montreal Canadiens, along with Ian Schultz, in exchange for goaltender Jaroslav Halák. In the 2010–11 season on 24 November 2010, Eller scored his first goal with the Canadiens, wristing one past Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier.

On 4 January 2012, Eller scored 4 goals and an assist in a 7–3 victory against the Winnipeg Jets, his first career hat trick. He was the first Montreal Canadien to score 4 goals in one game since Jan Bulis in 2006. During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Eller signed a temporary contract with Finnish top-flight club, JYP Jyväskylä. He recorded 5 goals and 10 assists in 15 games.

On 2 May 2013, an open ice check from Ottawa Senators' defenseman Eric Gryba knocked Eller unconscious during a playoff game at Centre Bell. He was later diagnosed with a concussion, along with dental and facial fractures. On 24 July 2014, he signed a four-year contract worth $3.5 million per year to stay with the Canadiens.

After six seasons, Eller's tenure with the Canadiens came to an end at the 2016 Draft, as he was traded to the Washington Capitals in exchange for two second-round picks in 2017 and 2018 on 24 June 2016.

Personal life

Lars Eller grew up in Rødovre, Denmark. His father, Olaf Eller, is a former Danish international ice hockey player and former coach of several teams in the Superisligaen, as well as Troja/Ljungby in Sweden. Olaf Eller is also a color commentator for Danish TV 2 Sport for the IIHF World Championships and occasionally for games in the AL-Bank Ligaen. He is also head coach of Esbjerg IK. His younger brother Mads (born 25 June 1995) currently plays for the Adirondack Thunder (2015-2016 season) of the ECHL, and had also played junior hockey for Frölunda HC and represented Denmark at the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Their half brother Michael Smidt has also represented the Danish national team og played all his career in Denmark - including 17 seasons in Rødovre Mighty Bulls where he also was captain for six seasons before he retired in 2014. Eller and his wife, Julie, have one daughter.