The New York Islanders are tied to pending UFA Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers after unsuccessfully trying to swing a trade for him last year.
The New York Islanders are set to have a major opportunity in free agency to land a top-line forward that they've already unsuccessfully tried to acquire in the past.
Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers is set to become a UFA this summer, and being a team in need of additional scoring, the Islanders could show some serious interest.
Per Stefan Rosner of The Hockey News, the Islanders could benefit from the addition of Ehlers in both even-strength and power play scoring.
With Mitch Marner testing the free agent waters, Ehlers will come in as the No. 2 winger available.If there's one thing the Islanders need, it's a consistent goal-scoring winger. Ehlers has been and should continue to be a 20-25 goal scorer, as well as someone who can play on a top power-play unit.
Six of his 24 goals this past season came on the man advatange. The Islanders, who owned the second-worst power play in the NHL at 12.6%, scored a total of 26 and could use someone, especially with Brock Nelson no longer on Long Island.
Ehlers had 63 points (24G, 39A) this year in 68 games with the Jets.
But there would remain a few obstacles for new Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche, who recently replaced former GM and president of hockey operations Lou Lamoriello, to navigate.
Both pending RFA defensemen Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov need contracts, and it would likely cost the Islanders having to move on from a veteran like JG Pageau and or Pierre Engvall to facilitate a potential Ehlers addition.
The Islanders have previously inquired about the rights to Ehlers, but were reportedly rebuffed. Now, with Ehlers set to enter free agency, they have another chance at landing him.
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