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Nikolaj Ehlers Sends Emotional Statement to Winnipeg Jets Fans After Leaving in Free Agency

Originally posted on House of Hockey | By Tom Banks | Last updated Jul 6, 2025 4:51 PM ET

Nikolaj Ehlers has left the Winnipeg Jets after almost a decade, and now, he's farewelled the team and the fans with an incredibly emotional message.

The Winnipeg Jets had a loaded team in 2024/25, posting a franchise best record as they landed the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, but in free agency, they lost a key piece of that team.

It was a long time coming, but veteran winger Nikolaj Ehlers departed the team in free agency, citing a smaller spotlight and less travel as a reason why he would ultimately land with the Carolina Hurricanes.

It wasn't an easy decision for him to leave the Jets after being drafted No. 9 overall back in the 2014 NHL Draft, playing 674 regular season games with the team dating back to the 2015/16 season.

According to Head Coach Scott Arniel, Ehlers called him in tears about the decision, showing just how much the city, the fans and the organization have meant to him throughout his career.

Now, he's penned an emotional farewell to all of them, revealing why he left and thanking everyone he could, with fans on social media full of emotion about one of their favourite players departing after so long.

Ultimately, this was likely the right call for Ehlers, as he now joins a loaded team with plenty of talent around him in a very winnable Eastern Conference, and while this gives him a new challenge, a change of scenery and the money he desired in free agency, it's easy to see through this letter that it was a tough call, with Ehlers expressing just how much everyone in Winnipeg has meant to him.

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

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