The Washington Capitals are reportedly in the market for another player down the middle. According to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, the club is seeking an upgrade on Lars Eller at third-line center ahead of this year’s March 7 trade deadline.
Washington has been linked with several forwards in recent weeks. The team has jumped out to a nine-point lead in the Eastern Conference at the 4 Nations Face-Off break and will return to play less than two weeks before the deadline.
Seravalli’s report that the Capitals want to add a center tracks with most of the players the team has been rumored to have interest in, including Trent Frederic, Jake Evans, Brock Nelson, and Yanni Gourde. All four players can play center and would fit a bottom-six, penalty-killing role.
The hockey insider adds that Washington could be one of many teams in the mix for Philadelphia Flyers center Scott Laughton. Laughton, 30, has 26 points (11g, 15a) in 54 games this season and is signed through the 2025-26 campaign at a $3 million cap hit.
Washington’s third line has been up and down the entire season, although they’ve found more consistency since Ethen Frank was recalled from the AHL’s Hershey Bears in early January. Eller, Frank, and Taylor Raddysh have played 100:07 of five-on-five ice time together, and the Capitals have seen 52.6 percent of the shot attempts, 56.2 percent of the expected goals, 51.1 percent of the scoring chances, and 58.5 percent of the high-danger chances during those minutes.
Eller has 12 points (6g, 6a) in 36 games since being traded to Washington by the Pittsburgh Penguins in November. The 35-year-old Dane had seven points (4g, 3a) in 17 games for the Penguins before being dealt.
Per PuckPedia, the Capitals are projected to have $3.65 million in cap space at the deadline. However, that number is impacted by Sonny Milano’s contract being on long-term injured reserve. Milano had been regularly practicing with his teammates before the break.
The Capitals also need to consider having a roster spot open for top prospect Ryan Leonard, who could sign an entry-level contract once his NCAA season with Boston College ends in the spring.
