Lars Eller
Encyclopedia
Lars Fosgaard Eller is a Danish
professional ice hockey
player currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens
organization of the National Hockey League
(NHL). He was drafted by the St. Louis Blues
in the first round, 13th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft
.
, he was drafted 13th overall by the St. Louis Blues
. He was the highest ever drafted Danish born and trained player in NHL history until friend and former teammate Mikkel Bødker
was selected as number eight overall by the Phoenix Coyotes
in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft
. Jan Popiel
was drafted tenth overall in the 1964 NHL Amateur Draft
. However, he learned to play hockey in Canada. Furthermore, he changed nationality before making his debut.
He spent part of the 2007–08 season with Borås
in the HockeyAllsvenskan, on loan from Frölunda
.
Eller moved to North America for the 2009–10 season
. His preseason was spoiled by mononucleosis
and as a result, he started the season in Peoria. He was called up by St. Louis and made his NHL debut on November 5, 2009 in a game against the Calgary Flames
in which the Blues lost 2-1. He scored the only Blues goal, beating Miikka Kiprusoff
off of a deflection and had three shots on goal in 9:42 minutes of ice time. Eller appeared in five NHL games before returning to Peoria Rivermen, finishing the season with seven games for the St-Louis Blues.
In Peoria he was named AHL Rookie of the Month for the month of March and was also selected for the 2009-10 AHL All-Rookie Team.
On June 17, 2010, he was traded by the Blues to the Montreal Canadiens
, along with Ian Schultz, in exchange for goaltender Jaroslav Halak
. In the 2010–11 season on November 24, 2010, Eller scored his first goal with the Canadiens, wristing one past Los Angeles Kings
goaltender Jonathan Bernier
.
ice hockey player and former coach of several teams in the Superisligaen, as well as Troja/Ljungby
in Sweden. Olaf Eller is also a color commentator
for Danish TV 2 Sport
for the IIHF World Championships
and occasionally for games in the AL-Bank Ligaen. He is also head coach of Iceland national team.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
organization of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). He was drafted by the St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
in the first round, 13th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft
2007 NHL Entry Draft
The 2007 NHL Entry Draft was the 45th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted at Nationwide Arena in the city of Columbus, Ohio, United States on June 22, 2007. The draft consisted of seven rounds with rounds two through seven taking place on June 23, 2007...
.
Playing career
In the 2007 NHL Entry Draft2007 NHL Entry Draft
The 2007 NHL Entry Draft was the 45th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted at Nationwide Arena in the city of Columbus, Ohio, United States on June 22, 2007. The draft consisted of seven rounds with rounds two through seven taking place on June 23, 2007...
, he was drafted 13th overall by the St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
. He was the highest ever drafted Danish born and trained player in NHL history until friend and former teammate Mikkel Bødker
Mikkel Bødker
Mikkel Bødker is a Danish ice hockey right winger. He is currently playing for the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. He was selected 8th overall by the Coyotes in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, making him the highest-ever drafted Danish player...
was selected as number eight overall by the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft
2008 NHL Entry Draft
The 2008 NHL Entry Draft was the 46th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted by the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on June 20–21, 2008...
. Jan Popiel
Jan Popiel
Jan Popiel is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 296 games in the World Hockey Association. He played for the Chicago Cougars, Denver Spurs, Ottawa Civics, Houston Aeros and Phoenix Roadrunners...
was drafted tenth overall in the 1964 NHL Amateur Draft
1964 NHL Amateur Draft
The 1964 NHL Amateur Draft was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.As was the case in the 1963 Draft, amateur players turning 17 years of age between August 1, 1964, and July 31, 1965, were eligible, if they were not already sponsored by an NHL club.The order of the draft...
. However, he learned to play hockey in Canada. Furthermore, he changed nationality before making his debut.
He spent part of the 2007–08 season with Borås
Borås HC
Borås HC is a Swedish professional ice hockey club, based in Borås, playing in the Swedish second tier league HockeyAllsvenskan.-Notable players:*Nikolai Drozdetsky *Sergei Fokin *Stefan Persson...
in the HockeyAllsvenskan, on loan from Frölunda
Frölunda HC
Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the...
.
Eller moved to North America for the 2009–10 season
2009–10 NHL season
The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010...
. His preseason was spoiled by mononucleosis
Mononucleosis
Mononucleosis , is a disease most commonly caused by the Epstein-Barr virus . The EBV virus affects the lymphocytes- white blood cells that battle infections by attacking antibodies. Mononucleosis can also be caused by Cytomegalovirus , a herpes virus most commonly found in body fluids...
and as a result, he started the season in Peoria. He was called up by St. Louis and made his NHL debut on November 5, 2009 in a game against the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
in which the Blues lost 2-1. He scored the only Blues goal, beating Miikka Kiprusoff
Miikka Kiprusoff
Miikka Sakari Kiprusoff is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He was selected in the fifth round, 116th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. He has also played for TPS of the Finnish SM-liiga...
off of a deflection and had three shots on goal in 9:42 minutes of ice time. Eller appeared in five NHL games before returning to Peoria Rivermen, finishing the season with seven games for the St-Louis Blues.
In Peoria he was named AHL Rookie of the Month for the month of March and was also selected for the 2009-10 AHL All-Rookie Team.
On June 17, 2010, he was traded by the Blues to the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, along with Ian Schultz, in exchange for goaltender Jaroslav Halak
Jaroslav Halák
Jaroslav Halák is a Slovak professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League . Halák was the 271st overall pick by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.-Montreal Canadiens:...
. In the 2010–11 season on November 24, 2010, Eller scored his first goal with the Canadiens, wristing one past Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
goaltender Jonathan Bernier
Jonathan Bernier
Jonathan Bernier is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2004–05 | Rødovre Rødovre Mighty Bulls Rødovre Mighty Bulls is the professional ice hockey team of the Rødovre Skating and Ice hockey Club... |
U19 | 28 | 21 | 26 | 47 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Rødovre SIK | DEN-2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Frölunda Frölunda HC Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the... |
J20 J20 SuperElit J20 SuperElit is a junior ice hockey league composed of 20 teams in Sweden. It is the highest-level junior ice hockey league in Sweden. The teams are divided in two groups, or divisions, Norra and Södra , and are usually associated with a professional team in either Elitserien or HockeyAllsvenskan... |
36 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2006–07 | Frölunda | J20 | 39 | 18 | 37 | 55 | 58 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 24 | ||
| 2007–08 | Frölunda | J20 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 14 | ||
| 2007–08 | Borås Borås HC Borås HC is a Swedish professional ice hockey club, based in Borås, playing in the Swedish second tier league HockeyAllsvenskan.-Notable players:*Nikolai Drozdetsky *Sergei Fokin *Stefan Persson... |
Swe.1 | 19 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 2007–08 Elitserien season The 2007–08 Elitserien season was the 33rd season of Elitserien. It began on September 24, 2007, with the regular season ending March 8, 2008. The playoffs of the 84th Swedish Championship ended on April 18, with HV71 taking the championship.-Rule changes:... |
Frölunda | SEL Elitserien Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden... |
14 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 Elitserien season The 2008–09 Elitserien season was the 34th season of Elitserien. It began on September 15, 2008, with the regular season ending February 28, 2009. The playoffs of the 85th Swedish Championship ended on April 8, with Färjestads BK taking the championship... |
Frölunda | SEL | 48 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 28 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 AHL season The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11... |
Peoria Rivermen Peoria Rivermen The Peoria Rivermen are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Peoria, Illinois, USA at the Carver Arena.-History:... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
70 | 18 | 39 | 57 | 84 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
St. Louis Blues St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
NHL | 77 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 48 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| NHL totals | 84 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 52 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 2006 IIHF World U18 Championships The 2006 IIHF World U18 Championships were held in Ängelholm and Halmstad, Sweden. The championships began on April 12, 2006 and finished on April 22, 2006. Games were played at Ängelholms Ishall in Ängelholm and Sannarps Isstadion in Halmstad... |
Denmark | WJC18-D1 IIHF World U18 Championships The IIHF World U18 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a system similar to Ice Hockey World Championships and World... |
5 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 8 |
| 2007 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was the 2007 edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was held in Mora and Leksand, Sweden between December 26, 2006 and January 5, 2007. The venues were FM Mattsson Arena in Mora, and Ejendals Arena in Leksand... |
Denmark | WJC-D1 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 16 |
| 2007 2007 IIHF World U18 Championships The 2007 IIHF World U18 Championships were held in Rauma and Tampere, Finland. The championships began on April 11, 2007 and finished on April 22, 2007. Games were played at Äijänsuo Arena in Rauma and Hakametsän jäähalli in Tampere... |
Denmark | WJC18-D1 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 6 |
| 2008 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2008 IIHF World U20 Championship, or, as it is commonly referred to in Canada as the 2008 World Juniors and the United States, the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships is the 2008 edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships... |
Denmark | WJC | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 37 |
| 2008 2008 IIHF World Championship The 2008 IIHF World Championship was played between May 2 and May 18, 2008 in the Canadian cities of Halifax and Quebec City . The two venues were the Halifax Metro Centre and the Colisée Pepsi... |
Denmark | WC Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European... |
6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2009 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships - Group B :ScheduleAll times local - Relegation round :The results from matches between teams from the same group in the preliminary round are carried forward to this round.-Schedule:... |
Denmark | WJC-D1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 20 |
| 2010 2010 IIHF World Championship The 2010 IIHF World Championship was the 74th IIHF World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 7 and 23 May 2010 in Germany. The games were played in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, SAP Arena in Mannheim, and one game at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen... |
Denmark | WC | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Junior int'l totals | 26 | 16 | 23 | 39 | 87 | ||
| Senior int'l totals | 13 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 | ||
Family
His father, Olaf Eller, is a former Danish internationalDanish national ice hockey team
The Danish men's national hockey team is the national ice hockey team for Denmark. The team is controlled by Danmarks Ishockey Union. As of 2007 the Danish team was ranked 12th in the IIHF World Rankings. After not qualifying for a world championship since 1949, Denmark surprised many in 2003 by...
ice hockey player and former coach of several teams in the Superisligaen, as well as Troja/Ljungby
IF Troja/Ljungby
IF Troja/Ljungby is an ice hockey club from Ljungby, Sweden. They are currently playing in the second highest league in Sweden, HockeyAllsvenskan.-External links:*...
in Sweden. Olaf Eller is also a color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
for Danish TV 2 Sport
TV 2 Sport (Denmark)
TV 2 Sport is a Danish sports channel operated as a joint-venture between Danish TV 2 and Swedish Modern Times Group.MTG launched a dedicated Danish version of its Viasat Sport channel in January 2002...
for the IIHF World Championships
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
and occasionally for games in the AL-Bank Ligaen. He is also head coach of Iceland national team.