For the second time this season, Washington Capitals center Lars Eller tested positive for COVID-19. While the rest of the team returned to Arlington for practice on Monday, Eller remained in quarantine in Vancouver where he scored the game winning goal on Friday night against the Canucks in overtime.
Last time Eller tested positive he was stuck in Anaheim for 10 days in November. Per Samantha Pell of The Washington Post, it’s unclear at this point when Eller will be able to travel back to rejoin the team.
The Caps host the New York Islanders tomorrow night then hit the road for Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday.
Here were the lines at practice with Eller out:
Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Sheary
Mantha-Backstrom-Oshie
Sprong-McMichael-Wilson
AJF-Dowd-Hathaway
Fehervary-Carlson
Orlov-Jensen
TvR-Schultz
Connor McMichael will replace Eller at third line center and Daniel Sprong is back in the lineup. His positive COVID test comes just over a month after the NHL announced new COVID protocols, including no longer conducting daily testing. Eller was experiencing symptoms as the league only tests fully vaccinated players “for cause.”
Eller talked about his experience having to quarantine in Anaheim, telling the media at the time:
"“No one else on the team got it. Nobody in my house got it. I have no idea where I got it from. We’re trying to count, most likely probably somewhere on that road trip in Detroit and Columbus, but I’ve really only been around my teammates and nothing else so it’s really odd. I’ve just been extremely unlucky I guess.”"
Eller has nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points while averaging 16:26 minutes of ice time. His absence will be missed among the team but here’s hoping Connor McMichael can step it up in his place as the Caps third line center.