Where the Eller's that depth scoring going to come from?

Lars Eller — Photo via GETTY

It’s typically unwise to deal in absolutes. That’s especially true when it comes to projecting sports or, more specifically, what to expect out of a 34-year-old hockey player.

There are, however, a few things I’m just about sure of when it comes to Lars Eller, who the Penguins inked to a two-year, $4.9 million contract on the first day of free agency this summer:

1. He isn’t washed.

2. He’s terrific on the penalty-kill.

3. Mike Sullivan will (rightfully) refer to him as a “conscientious” player within the first week of training camp.

In what might end up being the final season with a somewhat-realistic chance at a return to glory for Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, Eller is slated to command the third-line-center role for the Penguins.

He’ll take care of business defensively. The question is whether or not he’ll revert the trend of his diminishing offensive game and help lessen the burden at the top of the lineup.

The Penguins don’t need 20 goals out of their third-line center (a mark Eller hasn’t reached throughout his career), but they do need someone who — at the bare minimum — isn’t going to be an utter drag against possession and his line’s ability to create.

If we’re talking about the Eller of several years ago …

… yeah, no worries at all.

But that’s not the version of Eller that will lace ‘em up for the Penguins.

Even so, his current form is a certifiable upgrade over the previous performances of Jeff Carter and Mikael Granlund centering the third line. Don’t discount that in the larger equation.

As I dove into Eller film from last season, it was clear that he still possesses many of the same high-IQ qualities that made him a sneaky-good player years ago.

He just doesn’t have the same polish to his game at this stage of his career. Take the following clip from last postseason as an example: