Lars Eller scored the game-winning goal in the closing minutes of Game 5 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals, as the Washington Capitals were poised to win their first championship in team history. A Danish center from Rødovre who was drafted 13th overall in 2007, traded twice, and spent ten years developing the kind of professional reputation that doesn’t produce highlights but wins games is not a star player by the standards that typically occupy those moments—not Ovechkin, Backstrom, or Kuznetsov. The objective was genuine. The Cup was genuine. Additionally, Eller became the first Danish individual to have his name inscribed on it, which has a different type of significance in a nation that isn’t usually spoken in the same context as hockey’s traditional powers.
His net worth, which has been amassed during more than fifteen seasons in the NHL, is in the millions; the precise amount isn’t made public in any confirmed form, which is quite typical for players of his caliber. The framework is provided by the contracts. His most important single contract was a four-year, $13 million pact with the Montreal Canadiens in 2014, which marked the point in his career when he had established himself as a dependable NHL contributor rather than a prospect still establishing his value.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Lars Fosgaard Eller |
| Date of Birth | May 8, 1989 |
| Birthplace | Rødovre, Denmark |
| Nickname | “The Tiger” |
| Position | Centre |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Current Team | Ottawa Senators |
| Current Contract | 1-year, $1.25 Million (July 2025) |
| Notable Contract | 4-year, $13 Million (Montreal Canadiens, 2014) |
| Estimated Net Worth | Multiple millions (not publicly verified) |
| Stanley Cup | 2018 — Washington Capitals (scored Cup-winning goal) |
| NHL Games Played | 1,000+ (first Danish player to reach milestone) |
| 2026 Olympics | Representing Denmark |
| Reference Website | nhl.com |
His subsequent contracts with Washington, Colorado, the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he became the first Danish player to play in 1,000 NHL games, and most recently, a one-year, $1.25 million contract with the Ottawa Senators signed in July 2025, have all contributed to a career earnings total that spans a long arc from first-round pick to veteran journeyman, never quite reaching the category of elite earner that the 13th-overall draft position may have implied.
An important piece of information about Eller’s position in the current NHL market is the $1.25 million Ottawa contract. As a 36-year-old centerman navigating the last phase of a career that has lasted far longer than many anticipated, it’s a professional salary that most people in any industry would consider exceptional, but it’s also a significant step down from the contract value of his peak years.
The Senators need a senior presence who has played on a Cup team, handled more than fifteen seasons without serious disciplinary concerns, and can still make a substantial contribution on a third or fourth line while they develop toward something that appears more credible. It’s unclear if this deal marks the start of a departure from professional hockey or if it leads to another.
Even in the relatively small world of Danish hockey, the family setting around Eller’s career is noteworthy. Before becoming a television analyst for Danish sports broadcasts covering the IIHF World Championships, his father, Olaf Eller, coached at several levels, including the Swedish Superisligaen and played internationally for Denmark. Mads, his younger brother, represented Denmark in the World Junior Championships and played professionally in the ECHL.
Michael Smidt, a half-brother, led the Rødovre Mighty Bulls as captain for six seasons. In a nation where hockey has always been a niche sport, having three members of the same family play professional or semi-professional hockey says something about the particular upbringing Lars Eller experienced and the type of cultural investment that led to his career.
Another dimension is added by the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina in 2026. For any hockey player from a country that has historically had difficulty making it to the top international tournaments, representing Denmark at an Olympic Games is an important honor. Eller’s continued viability as a player and the overall development of Danish hockey as a program are both demonstrated by his participation, as he is still active enough to be chosen at the age of 36.
Seeing someone at this point in their career decide to continue playing instead of going into management, broadcasting, or just the comfortable retirement that his career earnings should easily allow gives me the impression that the game itself still has something to offer him that the financial calculations cannot fully account for.
Regardless of what happens next, the Stanley Cup goal will always be the moment that defines a career. In a major professional sport, very few players score the goal that wins the championship. Even fewer represent nations that have never sent a hockey player to the Cup.
