Capitals re-sign Lars Eller to 5-year, $17.5M extension

The Washington Capitals signed Lars Eller to a five-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.5 million, the team announced Saturday.

Eller has 11 goals and 28 points in 53 games this season, putting him on pace for career highs in both categories, all while serving as Washington's third-line center behind Evgeny Kuznetsov and Nicklas Backstrom.

The 28-year-old was the 13th overall pick by the St. Louis Blues back in 2007. He spent six years with the Montreal Canadiens before joining the Caps last season. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 prior to the extension.