When the Washington Capitals sent a 2017 and a 2018 second-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for center Lars Eller at the 2016 NHL draft, the belief was the Capitals finally acquired a bona fide third-line center, a role that had eluded them for the better part of the last several seasons.
Eller initially struggled, recording just two goals and a single assist in his first 26 games with Washington. Capitals coach Barry Trotz even bumped Eller down to the fourth line, opting to utilize Jay Beagle more as the team’s third line center.
In the last four or five games, the Capitals have seen a different side of Eller.