Senators sign forward Lars Eller to one-year contract

Ben Steiner
Jul 1, 2025, 17:05 EDT
Senators sign forward Lars Eller to one-year contract
Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Ottawa Senators have signed veteran center Lars Eller on the opening day of NHL Free Agency, securing the 36-year-old to a one-year, $1.25 million contract for the 2025-26 NHL season.

Eller finished the season with the Washington Capitals after rejoining the team in a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was his second stint with the Capitals, after he played seven seasons with them from 2016-17 to 2022-23. 

This past season, Eller scored 10 goals and 22 points with the Penguins and Capitals, and netted an assist in the nine Stanley Cup Playoff games he played, before the Carolina Hurricanes eliminated the Capitals in the second round. 

With 188 goals and 424 points through 1,116 games since making his NHL debut in 2009-10, Eller has proven to be a versatile and consistent center, and one that will add a veteran presence to the Senators’ setup. 

Yet, the 2017-18 season still stands out for him, having played a key role on the Stanley Cup-winning Capitals, where he helped Alex Ovechkin secure his first championship after years of playoff heartbreak, contributing seven goals and 18 points in 24 playoff games that season. 

Initially drafted 13th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the NHL Draft, Eller made his debut with the club, but went on to spend the following years with the Montreal Canadiens, Capitals, Colorado Avalanche and Penguins, before adding the Senators to the list for 2025-26. 

Internationally, Eller has also represented his native Denmark in five IIHF World Championships, the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship and Olympic qualifying tournament. 

“It was comforting going into this year, where really we were looking for one specific area that if we could improve, we would,” Senators general manager Steve Staios said Tuesday. “We had our sights set on a certain individual, and it was Lars [Eller], and if not, then we would have looked at other avenues to be able to do it. But we’re excited to have him.”

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