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Nikolaj Ehlers, Winnipeg Jets (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images)

Hurricanes Could Use Nikolaj Ehlers’ Versatility for the Present & Future

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Zach Martin | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 12:25 PM ET

As we’re officially under three weeks from the start of free agency in the NHL, rumors are in full force as teams are poised to make a ton of moves this offseason. The cap for the 2025-26 season will be $95.5 million, giving teams more room to be aggressive come July 1. One team in particular, the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes will have $28.4 million in cap space going into the summer and are one of the teams to watch this offseason. They’ve been considered to potentially be one of the most aggressive this offseason following an Eastern Conference Final appearance.

The Hurricanes have already been linked as a landing spot for Mitch Marner if they make a move for the biggest unrestricted free agents (UFA) this offseason. Another name to consider if they’re looking for a winger that could give them more flexibility to load up next season is Danish forward Nikolaj Ehlers.

Adding Another Dane to the Hurricanes

The 29-year-old Aalborg, Denmark native finished the 2024-25 season with 24 goals and 63 points in 69 games for the Winnipeg Jets. Ehlers is viewed as a player whose hard-nosed, two-way play could fit wonderfully for the Hurricanes by his skillset in all three zones. He will be a UFA this season after finishing up his seven-year, $42 million deal with the Jets. The average annual value (AAV) was $6 million per season, which is still considered a steal based on his production for the Jets. He’s had 60-plus points in the last two seasons, along with 24 and 25 goals each season, respectively. Ehlers is a left-shot winger who could play on either wing, something the Hurricanes love to have on their roster.

Ehlers could be a player who sees both left and right wings on either the first or second line for the Hurricanes. His versatility in the Hurricanes’ top six would already pay dividends for head coach Rod Brind’Amour and his staff. The way Ehlers plays the game gives him the ability to see a ton of special-teams minutes, either just on the power play or even some on the penalty kill. He played second-line with the Jets in 2024-25 and even saw minutes on the first power-play unit as well. Ehlers scored six power-play goals for the Jets, something the Hurricanes would love to have, as they only had three power-play goals from January to the start of the playoffs. Adding Ehlers to the power play could be a huge boost for the Hurricanes, a category that has struggled as of late.

While he only managed to play in 69 games, he still averaged over 15:48 of ice time and had a shooting percentage of 13.8%, scoring 24 goals on 174 shots on goal. Ehlers also finished with a rating of plus-14 for the Jets, another thing to keep in mind for the Hurricanes as they look to add someone who’s hard to score against when on the ice. Defensively, Ehlers is not afraid to put his body on the line, as he had 33 blocks and 38 hits throughout the season. He is a two-way player who fits the Hurricanes’ system perfectly.

AFP Analytics projects Ehlers to sign a six-year, $48.64 million deal with the AAV coming out to be $8.106 million per season. That places his cap hit at 8.49% against the Hurricanes’ $95.5 million. Compared to Marner, who is looking to sign north of $12 million per season, signing Ehlers anywhere between $8 million to $8.5 million per season is a steal for what he can bring to the ice. He will be 35 years old by the time the deal is done, but it will be worth it, given the caliber of player that Ehlers is. He gives the Hurricanes a tad over $20 million remaining in cap space to sign a second-line center, and add depth players on the offense, defense, and goaltending. Ehlers going up from $6 million to at least $8 million is not an overpay for a player that adds dimensions to your top six and special teams.

The Hurricanes need to make sure that one of the lines in the top six isn’t heavily relied upon to do all of the scoring. Adding Ehlers gives relief because whichever line he is on, the top six will have the necessary boost it needs to have both lines rolling with talent. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out, but in the end, Ehlers should be up at the top of the list for the Hurricanes this offseason as they look to load up for the 2025-26 season.

Ehlers Jetting His Way to Carolina?

While Marner is the biggest UFA fish this upcoming offseason, the Hurricanes want to use their cap space wisely, which has been mentioned during the exit interviews by general manager Eric Tulsky. If that is the case, they should consider signing Ehlers, who will be cheaper and is around the same age as Marner and even Brock Boeser. The two-way game that Ehlers plays fits the Hurricanes’ system perfectly, and someone who could thrive under Brind’Amour in Carolina for at least six or seven seasons at around $8 to $8.5 million per season. If they wanted to, the Hurricanes could even go up to as high as $9 million per season, and it’ll still be an amazing signing. Either way, signing Ehlers would be a massive boost for the Hurricanes who will look to get over the hump next season and make a Stanley Cup appearance for the first time since 2006.