On Monday, the NHL began announcing the preliminary players for each country participating in the 2026 Winter Olympic Ice Hockey tournament. It's a moment that many fans and players have been waiting for: the return of NHL players to the Olympics. Fans across the league are anxiously waiting to see which players are going to Milan to represent their country. Washington Capitals fans will be lucky enough to see several of their players compete for Gold.
One of the players heading to Italy in 2026 is center Lars Eller. The 36-year-old was named as one of the preliminary players for Team Denmark. He joins four other NHL players in hopes of earning Denmark its first medal in ice hockey. But what role will Eller serve on Team Denmark?
What role with Lars Eller serve on Team Denmark
Eller made his return to Washington this past November when the Penguins traded him for a 2025 fifth and 2027 seventh-round pick. In 63 games with the Capitals, he recorded six goals and nine assists for 15 points. He also tallied 40 hits and 26 penalty minutes. He appeared in nine playoff games for the Caps, registering an assist and 13 hits.
He had previously spent six and a half seasons in Washington from 2016 to 2023. In 488 games, he had 87 goals and 121 assists for 208 points with 481 hits and 256 penalty minutes. He also appeared in 59 playoff games during that stretch, racking up nine goals and 21 assists for 30 points with 126 hits. He was a key contributor on the Capitals team that won the Stanley Cup in 2018.
Eller also has experience playing for Denmark, having logged 34 games for the Danish national team over his professional career. He has nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points and 48 penalty minutes. This includes the 2009 Olympic Qualifying Team, which failed to qualify for the 2010 Games in Vancouver; therefore, he does have some experience with Olympic-style hockey.
He'll likely serve as a middle-six forward for Team Denmark. While he's one of the first five players mentioned for Denmark, his age and the regression he has seen over the past few years will move him down in the lineup. However, his age and experience will make him one of the leaders in the locker room. He's a guy the younger players can turn to for leadership and to rally the guys during challenging situations. This will make him one of the key players to watch during the 2026 games.
