July 1st, known among NHL fans as free agent frenzy, is a monumental day for the league. Teams are allowed to re-sign their own players or poach veterans and superstars from other clubs. While this offseason doesn’t necessarily offer the strongest player pool, there are a ton of interesting players that could make a splash this summer.
Among them is veteran Lars Eller, who could be called upon to offer a veteran presence in many locker rooms, as well as provide on-ice consistency. Here are three clubs that could be interested in Lars Eller’s services.
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Chicago Blackhawks could opt to sign Lars Eller
According to CapFriendly, the Blackhawks have a bunch of contracts that are due this offseason, signaling a complete roster overhaul is on the way. And, since GM Kyle Davidson announced that Jonathan Toews would not be returning to Chicago next season, Lars Eller could fill the veteran leadership void that losing Toews creates.
The difference between the two is that Eller comes at a significantly cheaper cost, as Toews’ cap hit was a baffling $10 million. The Hawks only have eight forwards on contract for next season, most of which carry a salary of less than $1 million, meaning the club could offer Eller a few million dollars to come in and provide a veteran presence in the locker room, especially as the team (likely) prepares to draft Connor Bedard.
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Lars Eller could land with the Ottawa Senators
Another team in a rebuild, the Ottawa Senators, could benefit from a veteran presence like Lars Eller. The Ottawa Senators made big waves when they won the bid for Jakob Chychrun, signaling an accelerated rebuild is on the way. And, with most of the players on the roster under 30, Eller could provide leadership on and off the ice to usher in the next wave of talent in Ottawa and provide stability as questions about ownership loom.
Eller could slot in as a depth forward, supporting Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk as the pair looks to take the team to the next level offensively. He also comes cheap, meaning the Sens could use a bulk of their remaining available salary cap to re-sign promising RFAs, like Shane Pinto and Alex DeBrincat.
St. Louis Blues could use Lars Eller as a depth forward
The St. Louis Blues found themselves on the outside looking in of the playoff bubble, and bringing in Eller, who is a specialist, particularly on the penalty kill, could help return the club to glory. The team doesn’t have four designated centers, and Eller could slot into the roster as a third or fourth-line center that mainly plays with a man down.
Doug Armstrong and the Blues have about $7.5 million in salary cap space to play with and no real pressing issues this offseason. It allows them to ink Eller to a shorter-term deal and carry him into retirement, as the 32-year-old could be looking for one last deal to end his career. And it could be beneficial for St. Louis, too, as he could bring consistency on the ice (particularly in his own zone) to counter Jordan Binnington’s inconsistent, up-and-down play.
St. Louis lost Vladimir Tarasenko to the New York Rangers at the trade deadline, giving them cap space to make some moves and leaving Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas to handle the scoring duties. And, if Torey Krug opts to waive his no-trade clause and leave the Blues, the team has even more money to play with, meaning that Armstrong could offer Eller a bigger contract to sign in St. Louis.