The ex-Capitals forward got quite the reception for his 1,000th NHL game
Former Washington Capitals center Lars Eller is celebrating a major milestone on Saturday, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are pulling out all of the stops to honor him.
The 34-year-old center is playing in his 1,000th game, fittingly against his former team, the Montreal Canadiens, and to celebrate, the Penguins themed their warmups around him.
Pittsburgh's players all wore Eller's No. 20 jersey for their pregame skate against the Canadiens.
They all then imitated Eller's warm-up routine, including his stretches in the face-off dot.
Pittsburgh also honored Eller with a video tribute and pregame ceremony, where he was joined by his family. Here's the full tribute, which includes several of his milestones and historic feats:
Eller's 1,000 games are the most by a Danish-born player in NHL history. He is also the third-highest-scoring Dane in the league with 385 points. In 45 games this season, Eller has eight goals and six assists for 14 points.
Prior to signing a two-year deal to join the Penguins this summer, Eller had spent seven years in the Nation's Capital before being traded to the Colorado Avalanche as part of the trade deadline sell-off.
Eller picked up 208 points in 488 games and scored the game-winning goal in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights to secure the Capitals' first championship in franchise history. He and Washington overcame Pittsburgh in the second round en route to their first title, and he is the first Denmark native to hoist the Cup.