Confirmed Trade: [WSH/PIT] Lars Eller for 2027 3rd round pick and 2025 CHI 5th round pick

[Pancakes]

To ease any Caps fans fears - Lars has been VERY good for us this year. He was playing like a guy that wanted to get traded to a contender and get another contract. Lots of speed, lots of energy, and his shooting % was really good. He may have been cooked when you let him go in the past but he's picked it up for sure. $2.45mil on an expiring contract. 5v5, PK, PP...hard to complain for a 5th and a 27 3rd.

Personally as a Pens fan I liked Eller's game a lot more last year. He's still been fine this year, but I thought last year he was especially good and was one of our most consistent forwards.

I think he'll do fine on the Caps though. Can still skate just fine, still has a wicked wrist shot. Plays a heavy game like the Caps like to.

 

[GKJ]

We got Vokoun from them in 2012. Before that I think it was the Jagr trade.

I knew it possibly couldn’t be the Jagr trade, but 12 years is still a long time

 

[seafoam]

Great for WSH, PIT is waiving the white flag.

 

[cupface52]

Addresses their biggest weakness, faceoffs, which should also improve their already great PK(league 4th). Their PP will improve as the season goes on.

 

[Silky mitts]

 

[thebestnic]

He would have gotten a 2nd or 3rd in 2025 at the deadline. Bad move

 

[CanadienShark]

Fair deal I think. Eller is still effective and has familiarity there.

 

[um]

This Caps and Pens thread is way too peaceful.

I don’t like it. Feels unnatural.

 

[K Fleur]

This Caps and Pens thread is way too peaceful.

I don’t like it.

Nothing to beef about. Pens suck ass but can still for whatever reason beat the Caps. All is right in the world.

 

[Empoleon8771]

He would have gotten a 2nd or 3rd in 2025 at the deadline. Bad move

A Penguins reporter from the Athletic said that they've been trying to trade Eller for a while now and they weren't getting any better offers than this.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856480656668405879

Also aligns with a report from Seravalli (?) last deadline that the Penguins were shopping Eller around but teams were hesitant due to the extra year on his deal.

I'm not entirely sure why he was valued so little by both the Penguins and the league, he's a solid 3C/great 4C player, but I guess that for $2.5 million just isn't super attractive?

 

[featherhawk]

Well the Caps know what they get in Eller, its a schrewd move by the caps.

 

[Darren McCord]

He would have gotten a 2nd or 3rd in 2025 at the deadline. Bad move

he is 35 with 1 assist in his last 10 games. the pens would have driven his value down to a 7th by the deadline

 

[Tuggy]

I don't get this for the Pens.

Why deal him now if that's what you're going to get?

Terrible asset management.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don't get this for the Pens.

Why deal him now if that's what you're going to get?

Terrible asset management.

Because they likely weren't going to get much better for him if they waited. Holding onto him until the deadline to try to get a 2026 2nd instead of a 2027 3rd and 2025 5th doesn't seem worth the risk to me.

Eller was traded as a rental back in 2023 to Colorado for a 2025 2nd. The equivalent today would be a 2027 2nd, and I don't really think a 2027 3rd and 2025 5th is that much less than a 2027 2nd. At least to the point of risking getting a worse return.

 

[Darren McCord]

I don't get this for the Pens.

Why deal him now if that's what you're going to get?

Terrible asset management.

jack roslovic had 50% retained salary and got a 4th last year.

In what world are the pens going to get more than what they did?

 

[BallardEra]

he is 35 with 1 assist in his last 10 games. the pens would have driven his value down to a 7th by the deadline

He was playing well at 3C for the Pens and then they moved him up to play 2C when Malkin was moved to Sid’s wing.

He is not a 2C.

Getting out of Pittsburgh will help him as well.

 

[PAZ]

He was pretty pedestrian on the Avs, so that probably dissuaded some teams that have a high tempo system.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

A Penguins reporter from the Athletic said that they've been trying to trade Eller for a while now and they weren't getting any better offers than this.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856480656668405879

Also aligns with a report from Seravalli (?) last deadline that the Penguins were shopping Eller around but teams were hesitant due to the extra year on his deal.

I'm not entirely sure why he was valued so little by both the Penguins and the league, he's a solid 3C/great 4C player, but I guess that for $2.5 million just isn't super attractive?

Stands to reason that a 35 year old impending UFA lik Eller would have the most value closer to the deadline.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Stands to reason that a 35 year old impending UFA lik Eller would have the most value closer to the deadline.

It also stands to reason that Eller's performance declining or him getting injured would decrease his value as well.

They got pretty close to what they realistically would have gotten at the deadline without having to risk his play falling off or him getting hurt. Not sure what there is to complain about. He was traded for a 2nd in 2 years when he was moved back in 2023, he was traded for a 3rd in 2 years and a 5th this year.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

A two way true C with decent size like Eller will always find a spot on a team. Good for him to get out of Pittsburgh while he can.

 

[Rudy Russo]

He would have gotten a 2nd or 3rd in 2025 at the deadline. Bad move

He didn't get anything when Dubas was trying to shop him during the deadline last season.

 

[Turin]

This Caps and Pens thread is way too peaceful.

I don’t like it. Feels unnatural.

The Pens team is cooked lol there’s no rivalry. Same as it’s been with Philly for years

 

[1909]

Good trade for Washington.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Pettersson in next I’m guessing, better call quick.

If Malkin were to waive, I believe he’d return the most. I don’t think anyone’s touching Letang or Karlsson with those contracts. Might be tough trading Rakell and Bunting as well given their contracts compared to what they bring.

 

[BKarchitect]

jack roslovic had 50% retained salary and got a 4th last year.

In what world are the pens going to get more than what they did?

It all depends on needs and fit but Eller types have way more universal appeal at the deadline than Roslovic types. It’s fun that Roslovic has found a neat fit as an offensive depth winger on Carolina shooting 24%, as he has done in other short stretches over his career. But I guarantee you the Eller prototype of veteran center is more sought by contenders. Roslovic was also in a $4 million AAV last year…of course he had to be fully retained to have any semblance of positive value.