Confirmed with Link: Lars Eller for two years

[Randy Butternubs]

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[BusinessGoose]

Lol

30 effing 4

 

[Andy99]

Eller should be a $800,000 contract…he’s that bad now…the Avs were desperate for centers and didn’t even want to resign him…neither did the Caps…he’s toast

 

[wheelz87]

Idk if the term or amount is more crazy.

 

[BusinessGoose]

Idk if the term or amount is more crazy.

Yes

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

 

[Empoleon8771]

He's much more suited as a 4C at this point but he at least fits how Sullivan wants to use his bottom-6. It's not going to be miscasting Brassard or Carter in a defensive 3C role anymore, so there's at least that.

If he can give 25 points while not hemorrhaging goals against, I'll be fine with it. I definitely won't be happy about it unless he produces like a legitimate 3C, but I'll be fine with it if he can at least be good defensively.

You don't necessarily need a HBK Bonino style performance out of your 3C, a 2017-2018 Sheahan performance is totally acceptable.

 

[Malkinstheman]

I feel like theres a decent chance he ends up getting jettisoned at the deadline like Mcginn. I really question whether he has the legs left to handle the usage Sullivan is about to throw at him.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Doobler needs fired…already

 

[oooooooooohCanada]

Doobler needs fired…already

imagine going into other teams boards to jerk off over Dubas making perceived bad moves. Get a life lmao.

 

[Gurglesons]

imagine going into other teams boards to jerk off over Dubas making perceived bad moves. Get a life lmao.

Isn’t he a Pens fan?

 

[HandshakeLine]

This sure is A move.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

80th percentile defensively last year.
92% on the PK over the last 3 years.

Overpayment? Yes.
League minimum value player? f*** no.

Defense isn't worthless. You'd think people would know that after watching L3 last year.

 

[HandshakeLine]

80th percentile defensively last year.
92% on the PK over the last 3 years.

Overpayment? Yes.
League minimum value player? f*** no.

Defense isn't worthless. You'd think people would know that after watching L3 last year.

I think Eller in a vacuum is fine. It's just that the rest of the bottom 6 is still pretty putrid and that's without even getting into DOC's inevitable raise.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I think Eller in a vacuum is fine. It's just that the rest of the bottom 6 is still pretty putrid and that's without even getting into DOC's inevitable raise.

Well they're putrid offensively for sure, based on their career rates. I do think that this could be a top 10 defensive team again though, using this bottom 6. Even a guy like Nylander did great defensively for us in his short stint. They're gonna have to learn to win games the ugly way though a bit, Isles style.

I'd also say that Dubas will be much more inclined to in-season trades if things are going poorly. Can't see him just rolling with failure like Hex.
What we have right now won't necessarily be here all year.

The good news is that if this is enough to make the playoffs, they can make a series interesting with this kinda structure. Some counter-attack goals and then turtle strats, 2017 style

 

[HandshakeLine]

Well they're putrid offensively for sure, based on their career rates. I do think that this could be a top 10 defensive team again though, using this bottom 6. Even a guy like Nylander did great defensively for us in his short stint. They're gonna have to learn to win games the ugly way though a bit, Isles style.

I'd also say that Dubas will be much more inclined to in-season trades if things are going poorly. Can't see him just rolling with failure like Hex.
What we have right now won't necessarily be here all year.

The good news is that if this is enough to make the playoffs, they can make a series interesting with this kinda structure. Some counter-attack goals and then turtle strats, 2017 style

My major worry is that, yeah, they could run with a counterpunching system with this roster, the coaching staff thinks it can still play run and gun, north-south transition hockey.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Why???

 

[HandshakeLine]

If we wanted to get better pking maybe we should fire the PK coach?

 

[Zbynek]

This sure is A move.

This was a move in the 2023 NHL free agent market.

 

[Victor Z]

Eller has always been an abrasive dickhead when playing *against* the Penguins (as if anybody's random little sister couldn't do the same thing against these cream puffs).

But now, especially at his age with so little (if anything at all) left in the tank, he'll be just a 12th scoop of vanilla soft-serv among the forwards.... and did we really need $5 million worth of that over the next 2 seasons?

Mike Sullivan to Kyle Dubas sometime last week: "You may THINK you're the GM, but we both know the truth. I don't care how you do it, but fill up this roster ASAP with enough soft, old bottom-6 nobodies that I don't EVER have to worry about you calling up a young player and forcing me to put him in the lineup!"

 

[Terrapin]

lol. Does anybody in this organization realize this is the NHL, and not some old-timers beer league? Just when you think it's impossible to get any older and softer.....

 

[Headshot77]

I think Eller in a vacuum is fine. It's just that the rest of the bottom 6 is still pretty putrid and that's without even getting into DOC's inevitable raise.

When Dubas got here he said that he largely felt the top 6 was fine, and that the bottom 6 needs to allow the top 6 to succeed. I read that as "3rd and 4th lines are gonna be taking every single defensive zone faceoff so we need the most defensive forwards we can find" and Lars fits that implementation to a T. I like this signing for that reason.

Admittedly I'd rather have a high octane 3rd line than this ethos however.

 

[Giskard]

Mom is Lars our new 3C ?

 

[BusinessGoose]

Mom is Lars our new 3C ?

No

Lars is our 2C, because Sid and Geno won't play 82 games next year

 

[Jacob]

I agree with the general sentiment that he’s overqualified as a 4C but at this stage underqualified as a 3C and probably slightly overpaid as a 4C too and with Acciari that seems to suggest they want him to be 3C. He’s probably a better option to be 3C than Granlund though, who is weak on faceoffs. So whatever.

This isn’t some backbreaker either way though. And he’s got playoff experience and PK ability and from what I recall with Colorado the wheels are still mostly there. He seems a bit irritating to play against and always seemed to score big goals with the Caps.