Lars Eller was born on May 8, 1989, in Rødovre, a suburb of Copenhagen in Denmark, where ice hockey is very popular with the residents. Since he grew up in a family-oriented sport, Lars Eller was highly influenced by his father, Olaf Eller former Danish international ice hockey player and coach. Olaf is also a color commentator with the Danish TV 2 Sport, meaning Lars had been exposed to a lot of the sport at a tender age.
CAPTION: A Hockey Legacy in the Making: From Rødovre SK to international ice, Lars Eller’s journey began here. SOURCE: Pinterest Eller started his hockey career in Denmark playing for the local club Rødovre SK. By the time he was 16 years old, he had made the profound move to Sweden to join Frölunda HC in the J20 SuperElit league-a move that was crucial for his development in terms of tougher competition and harnessing his skills against some of Europe's finest young talent.
Among the more well-known junior tournaments he played in were the IIHF World Junior Championships. In 2008, Eller represented Denmark in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, showing his skill on a bigger stage. His performances at these events increased his stock as one of the more promising players and put him on the radar of NHL scouts. That international experience was priceless for Eller, who prepared him for the level of competitiveness he would soon realize in the NHL.
Eller was selected in the first round, 13th overall, of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues, which was the highest selection for a Danish-born and trained player in NHL history. He made his NHL debut on November 5, 2009, against the Calgary Flames, appearing in seven games for the Blues in the 2009-10 season. However, he spent a good part of that season with the American Hockey League's Peoria Rivermen where he was named AHL Rookie of the Month for March 2010 and selected to the 2009-10 AHL All-Rookie Team.
CAPTION: New cities, new teams, and endless determination—Lars Eller’s journey from St. Louis to Montreal. SOURCE: Pinterest In June 2010, he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens, for whom Eller would spend six seasons developing his game and cementing his place within the team. While his time in Montreal would be filled with consistent performance and growth, his next move would bring him the most success.
In June 2016, Eller was finally traded to the Washington Capitals, which turned out to be his career-changing moment. During his time with the Capitals, he became an important member of the team and an integral player in the team's Stanley Cup run. Eller became the first person born in Denmark to win the Stanley Cup in 2018, scoring the Stanley Cup-winning goal against the Vegas Golden Knights. That was a historical moment not only for Eller but also for Danish hockey, as it turned out to be a big breakthrough for this sport in his native country.
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Among all those many places, Eller's professional hockey career has seen many high points. Not only did he become the first-ever Danish player to win the Stanley Cup, but also he is the first Danish player to complete 1,000 NHL games-a milestone for durability and consistency at the highest levels of professional hockey.
CAPTION: Making history one milestone at a time—Lars Eller’s unforgettable achievements on and off the ice. SOURCE: Pinterest Such milestones will doubtless secure him as one of the most successful Danish players in NHL history.
In March 2023, Eller was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, which marked a new chapter in his NHL career. Moving him onto a team steeped in success and with a strong roster provides him with the opportunity to contribute toward another competitive team and perhaps add more accolades to an already impressive career.
Eller is married to Julie, and they have two children together. Family life is important to him, and he speaks a lot about how much support he has in his family. His younger brother, Mads Eller, has played junior hockey for FroIlunda HC and represented Denmark in the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
His half-brother, Michael Smidt, has played for the Danish national team and his whole career in Denmark, further emphasizing an Eller family steeped in the tradition of hockey. This family legacy in hockey thus underlines how deeply set hockey is in Eller's life and career.
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