Penguins forward Lars Eller remains honest while playing solid role on 3rd line

It’s a process that Lars Eller repeats with stern dedication.

After practices or morning skates, the sturdy defensive center will shed his gear and depart the dressing room for several minutes then return with a few of his sticks.

And as other teammates will scurry out of the room (sometimes to avoid media), Eller will tape his sticks meticulously (and even field queries from media).

He twists up white tape and wraps it around the butt end with precision and detail to create a “knob” that makes it easier to grip. This process unfolds a handful of times on different sticks with a blend of concentration and craftsmanship worthy of an engraver with Tiffany.

“I like to have my sticks ready in the morning and when I come back in the next day,” Eller said. “I don’t like to spend time doing that in the morning. I want to prioritize doing other stuff the next day. So I’ve got to do it right away when I get in after practice.”

That level of professionalism is what has allowed Eller, 35, to carve out a lasting existence in the NHL over 15 seasons and 1,036 career games.

His 16th season will be his second as a member of the Penguins. A free agent signing during the 2023 offseason, he appeared in all 82 games in 2023-24 and provided a solid 31 points (16 goals, 15 assists) while averaging 15 minutes, 58 seconds of ice time per contest.

“It felt like home,” Eller said of his first season in Pittsburgh. “I felt like, even when I had been there for a week or two, I felt like I had been there for a year. It was just easy to fit in. Also, I think when you get to a certain age, you get more comfortable just being yourself when you’re 22 maybe. That plays a role in it, too. For me, it was a fairly easy transition.”

That level of comfort led to Eller being one of the most vocal players in his first season with the team.

On the frequent occasions the 2023-24 Penguins stumbled, Eller was highly honest in stating so.

To wit, he was blunt during the team’s season-ending media availability in mid-April when asked about the Penguins’ struggles in the lead-up to and aftermath of a trade that jettisoned popular All-Star forward Jake Guentzel on March 7.

“There was some games there where I didn’t recognize our team,” Eller said on April 19. “I was surprised at how far from our best we were from some of those games.”

His candor is appreciated by his coach.

“Lars is a good pro,” Mike Sullivan said. “He’s very well respected in our room and for good reason. He’s had a terrific career to this point. He was a good player for us last year. He was everything that we hoped that we were going to get.

“He’s not afraid to speak his mind. He’s respectful, but he’s honest. Those types of conversations are real, and I think that resonates with his teammates.”

Eller encourages teammates to be free with their thoughts in a similar fashion.

“The more people that can take on a leadership role, the better the team will be,” Eller said. “You don’t have to have an A or a C on your chest to act like leader. I want even the young guys that are 25 to act like leaders. It’s not always just saying stuff in the room. It’s attitude on the ice. It’s attitude in practice. Taking responsibility and ownership and cheering on the guys, cheering guys on the bench. Pat them, talk if that’s who you are. I want everybody to be themselves but, at the same time, take on leadership as early as possible. That’s what the older guys want to see as well.

“You can take ownership and be a leader and still be humble. It’s not like being cocky taking on some leadership along the way. You’re continuously learning. I’m learning as well. Hopefully, the young players see and take notes of that.”

Beyond the base offensive figures, Eller largely buttoned up the Penguins’ always-demanding third-line center role in part because of his reliable faceoff figures (53.2%) and was a staple on the team’s penalty kill, averaging 2:11 of short-handed ice time per contest.

“Yeah. I came in to fill the role that I know I’ve been good in with other teams,” Eller said. “I ended up playing penalty kill, power play, three-on-three, four-on-four. I was happy with how I performed. I’m confident I can do the same this year and still bring some value to the team. My body feels really good. I hope I can have an even better season.”

Another good season would benefit Eller off the ice considering he is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2025.

But with all his experience, he knows better than to dwell on that aspect of being a professional.

“If you asked me when you’re in your early 20s and you haven’t established yourself, that’s maybe more of a factor,” Eller said. “Now, it’s going to take care of itself. All that stuff is going to sort itself. I hate losing. I want to win. I’m still as hungry as when I started playing in this league. I still have a lot of hockey left to give.

“I think I enjoy it more now, and I’m going to enjoy it this year. The competitive spirit that there is with these guys in the room, I know we have some good hockey left.”