The center-ice position is important for every NHL team, but with the system the Florida Panthers play, the responsibility on their center-ice men is very high.
Coach Paul Maurice demands excellence both offensively and defensively, attention to detail, and coverage all over the ice. Those demands can’t be achieved by just any center in the NHL, but GM Bill Zito has done an excellent job finding players who fit.
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The Panthers’ first three-line center spots are occupied by Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett and Anton Lundell, as unless injuries occur, those three players have locked down their roles. But heading into the 2026 NHL off-season, the fourth-line role was vacant.
Throughout the 2025-26 season, several players occupied that role. Cole Schwindt was used quite frequently after he was claimed off waivers, Tomas Nosek skated on the fourth line when he returned from his injury, and even Luke Kunin was used in that role to start the season.
Heading into the 2026-27 season, that role is for veteran Lars Eller.
Eller has a very impressive NHL resume. The 37-year-old won a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018, skating as a third-line center and adding seven goals and 18 points in 24 playoff games. He plays a reliable two-way game, winning over 50 percent of his faceoffs in seven of his last eight NHL campaigns.
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He might not give the Panthers double-digit goals and 30-40 points as he did in his prime. Still, the Panthers can feel very comfortable using Ellers in defensive situations against any of their opponents’ lines.
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Eller believes he is a perfect fit with the Panthers and remains hungry to add another Stanley Cup.
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“I’m as hungry as ever,” said Eller when he first spoke to the Florida media. “I want to say I still have that same hunger as when I came into the league almost two decades ago. Once you’ve had a taste of winning, it doesn’t satisfy that hunger to want to go out and do it again. And I think this team has also proved that they have that hunger in them.”
Originally a 13th overall pick by the St. Louis Blues in 2007, Eller has racked up 1184 games of NHL regular season experience, scoring 193 goals and 439 points. In the post-season, Eller has played 116 games, notching 15 goals and 50 points.
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While the ability to chip in offensively is appreciated, it’s how Maurice deploys Eller that will show his value.
Eller can hop over the boards to kill penalties and take timely defensive zone faceoffs, which will allow Maurice to give Barkov and Lundell extra rest and more opportunities to start their shifts in the offensive zone.
With just an $850,000 cap hit for one season, Eller could turn out to be a bargain signing in the regular season and in the playoffs.
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