The 34-year-old discussed his decision to sign with the Penguins and said that he'll feel an added "motivational factor" when it comes to playing the Capitals.
The Washington Capitals saw one of their former heroes make an interesting decision when free agency opened, as Lars Eller inked a two-year, $4.9 million deal with the rival Pittsburgh Penguins.
Eller received multiple offers in free agency, but ultimately landed on Pittsburgh. And, despite being on the other side of that Capitals-Penguins rivalry for the last seven years, the decision was an easy one for a number of reasons.
"I felt like Pittsburgh was a good natural fit for me and my family. I think it checked a lot of boxes that I was looking for" Eller told reporters on Zoom, adding, "It has been and still is a competitive team. I see it as a playoff team... The competitiveness on the team and my role within the team was very appealing.
"I felt pretty quickly that I could see myself playing in Pittsburgh," he added.
The Dane is expected to be the Penguins' third-line center, and he is also looking forward to showcasing his versatility.
For Eller, getting to be a utility player relied on in multiple situations was a major selling point, and reuniting with Todd Reirden, who he's worked with in D.C., is an added plus.
"I’m a player that can play in any situation... I can play shorthanded, I can play on the power play, I can play in all kinds of different situations. Mostly center, but I've played wing," he said, adding, "You can use me kind of everywhere."
The 34-year-old also said that there will be an extra chip on his shoulder when it comes to facing the Capitals.
"Those are gonna be the fun games," Eller said, adding, "Playing a lot against my old team, that’ll be a motivational factor for sure.”
Eller scored the Cup-clinching goal for Washington in Game 5 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, and that was the same year that he and his team finally overcame the Penguins in the second round. He also played a key role, and "The Tiger" became a fan-favorite over his seven years in D.C.
However, this didn't end on the highest note. In his final year, Eller couldn't find consistency and was the subject of multiple rumors. He was ultimately traded to the Colorado Avalanche as part of the sell-off ahead of the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline.
In the end, he sees a lot of potential and opportunity in Pittsburgh, and he believes that it will also bring out the best in him.
"For me, I think I play my best games when there's the most on the line, tough games against good teams," Eller said. "We'll be facing a lot of playoff-caliber teams in our division. The more that’s on the line, the more I rise to the occasion.”