How many 3rd line centers can you name me that were able to get 37 points at EV this season?
That is the point.
He can handle a top-6 and bring defense.
For PP, you can bring other players.
Best would be to see him able to play on PP.
3 more EVP would make him top-50 in the league (among forwards, not center).
Of those 50, only 30 are centers.
So he is basically a top-40 among centers in EVP.
He is also 72th among forwards in EVP which clearly makes him top-90.
So there is 2.5 players per team and 1.3 centers per team who scored more than 37 EVP.
Well not that long ago Eller had 25 ESP in 46 games which works out to 45 over 82 games. Yet not many are willing to say he's more then a 3rd line center.
Not that long ago was 2012-13...
So basically, you have not found anyone else in the last 4 years.
Plus doing a projection over a season is just numbers.
You have not proof that Eller would continue at that pace.
But the following four years show us what Eller can do.
But we also need to go deeper in your comments.
Who is going to be our 2 center?
For me Danault is just fine but maybe your prefer Plekanec?
We can always put Plekanec, McCarron or Shaw to center the second PP unit.