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Kevin Cheveldayoff Drops Massive News on Nikolaj Ehlers' Future With the Jets

Originally posted on Hockey Latest | By Daniel Lucente | Last updated May 21, 2025 3:02 PM ET

When Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff was asked about Nikolaj Ehlers' future, he summed it up rather bluntly: 'Jet for life or different direction.'

Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff says the club will make a strong effort to keep forward Nikolaj Ehlers in Winnipeg long term.

The Jets will resume contract talks with Ehlers any day now

Speaking in his end-of-season availability, Cheveldayoff said talks were put on ice while Ehlers plays for Denmark at the World Hockey Championships, but would pick up again once the tournament is finished.

'We'll put our best foot forward to try to make our case for him to be a unique, Jet for life type player.'
'If he does choose to go in a different direction ... It'll be another opportunity for us to grow in a different direction.'

- Kevin Cheveldayoff

Ehlers, 29, has spent his entire 10-year NHL career with the Jets after being chosen ninth overall in 2014. In 674 games, he has registered 225 goals and 295 assists for 520 points.

He had 24 goals and 63 points in 69 regular-season games during the most recent season.

He contributed five goals and two assists in eight playoff games, finishing third in team scoring during the playoffs. Ehlers has recorded a minimum of 20 goals in eight of his 10 years.

He failed to do so just twice in a full 82-game season, which was in his rookie season when he registered 15 goals in 72 games, and in the injury-plagued 2022-23 campaign, when he recorded 12 goals in 45 games.

He is finishing up a seven-year, $42 million contract that he signed in 2017 that carried an average annual value of $6 million. Ehlers will be an unrestricted free agent in roughly six weeks, on July 1st.

This article first appeared on Hockey Latest and was syndicated with permission.

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