The Carolina Hurricanes have made a big move this offseason by signing forward Nik Ehlers to a six-year contract worth $51 million on Thursday.
Ehlers was the last major unrestricted free agent left after the new league year started on Tuesday.
“Nikolaj was the best free agent available on July 1, and we’re thrilled that he’s decided to come to Carolina,” said GM Eric Tulsky. “He’s a talented winger who can skate really well and will fit perfectly with our forwards.”
The winger has spent his entire 10-year career with the Winnipeg Jets, who drafted him ninth overall in 2014. He has scored 225 goals and tallied 520 points in 674 games. Ehlers has scored more than 20 goals in eight seasons and played nearly 16 minutes per game during both even strength and power play situations.
At 29 years old, he just finished one of his best seasons, scoring 24 goals and earning 63 points in 69 games. Winnipeg won the franchise’s first Presidents’ Trophy, awarded to the league’s top team, thanks to their impressive 122-point season. During the playoffs, Ehlers contributed five goals and seven points as the Jets reached the second round before losing to Dallas.
Carolina has been looking to add a scoring winger like Ehlers for over a year now.
Former GM Don Waddell traded for Jake Guentzel at the 2024 trade deadline to help boost the Hurricanes’ offense, but Guentzel left in free agency. Later, Tulsky aimed to strengthen the team’s forward line by trading for Mikko Rantanen from Colorado in January.
However, this partnership did not work out because Rantanen, who was about to become an unrestricted free agent, made it clear he wouldn’t re-sign with Carolina.
As a result, Tulsky had to trade him again, this time to the Stars. Tulsky also attempted to get then-Toronto Maple Leafs player Mitch Marner at the deadline, but Marner declined to waive his no-trade clause for that deal.
The Hurricanes really needed some extra help. In the regular season of 2024-25, Carolina was one of the top 10 teams for scoring, averaging 3.24 goals per game.
However, during the playoffs, that average dropped below three, and they had a hard time scoring, especially in the Eastern Conference final against Florida.
Now, the Hurricanes have a strong offensive player in Ehlers, who has decided to join the team. He will take on a top-six position and is expected to improve the performance of potential new teammates like Sebastian Aho and Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
