Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers will undergo sports hernia surgery next week, head coach Rick Bowness told reporters Saturday morning.
Ehlers, 26, hasn’t played since Oct. 17 against the Dallas Stars. Bowness said Ehlers removed himself from that game after experiencing discomfort in his injured area.
Bowness added he expects Ehlers to return to action at some point down the line in the 2022-23 season. For now, he’s on injured reserve.
Ehlers has three points (all assists) in two games with the Jets this year. The Aalborg, Denmark, product is under contract with the team at a $6 million cap hit through the end of the 2024-25 season.
The Jets originally selected Ehlers in the first round (No. 9 overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut with the club in 2015-16, scoring 15 goals and 38 points in 72 games.
Ehlers finished fifth on the Jets in scoring in 2021-22 with 55 points in 62 games. He tied Pierre-Luc Dubois for third on the team with 28 goals.
In 480 career games with the Jets over parts of eight regular seasons, Ehlers has scored 164 goals and 361 points. He’s added four goals and 12 points in 31 career playoff contests.
The Jets have gotten off to an excellent start in the 2022-23 regular season. They currently rank second in the NHL’s Central Division with a 10-4-1 record and 21 points through 15 games, and they have done so without one of their top scorers.
In Ehlers’ absence, defenseman Josh Morrissey currently leads the Jets in scoring with 16 points (one goal, 15 assists) in 15 games. Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, Dubois and Neal Pionk round out the top five; in goal, Connor Hellebuyck has an 8-3-1 record and a .935 save percentage through his first 12 appearances.
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