Carolina Hurricanes: The Case for Acquiring Nikolaj Ehlers

The Winnipeg Jets are actively shopping Nikolaj Ehlers. Here is the case for the Carolina Hurricanes making a bid to acquire the 23 year-old right winger.

At this point, it is no secret that the Carolina Hurricanes need help in the offensive zone. Some would argue that the team’s lack of offense, especially on the powerplay, was a large part in the Canes exiting the playoffs in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Cue Nikolaj Ehlers. Now, before you say it, I’ll go ahead and address it; Ehlers has less-than-stellar numbers in the postseason. This, in my opinion, is the result of various issues that I won’t get into in detail in this article. It is a huge caveat going forward, and something that Waddell and Co. need to keep in mind if they are interested in pursuing him.

That being said, I’d instead like to go over why picking Ehlers up would be a great move for the Carolina Hurricanes to make, albeit a slightly risky one.  Ehlers currently carries a 7-year contract at $6M AAV. Ehlers is currently heading into Year 2 of this contract, so the Hurricanes would be taking on a relatively large contract with no guarantee of success from Ehlers.

The young winger turned in a bit of a lukewarm season in 2018-19 compared to his previous two campaigns; this was, however, due to an injury that kept him out of 20 games. Ehlers scored 21 goals and 16 assists for a combined 37 points in 62 games played this past season.

Compared to 29 goals, 31 assists for 60 points in 82 games played in 2017-18, and 25 goals, 39 assists for 64 points in 82 games played in 2016-17, Ehlers is still fully capable of scoring goals and contributing in the offensive zone in a big way.

Seven of his 37 points this year came on the powerplay; Ehlers was partnered with Jack Roslovic and Bryan Little on Winnipeg’s 2nd powerplay unit. I believe his powerplay production will increase, especially if paired with Sebastian Aho and/or Teuvo Teravainen.

Ehlers has plenty of upside, and a change of scenery has done wonders for players in the past. I don’t need to remind any of you, but Eric Staal‘s career was all but reborn once he was moved to the Minnesota Wild. The same thing could, and very likely will, happen with Ehlers wherever he ends up.

Now, to circle back to something I mentioned in the beginning of this article. Ehlers postseason stats are definitely something to be concerned with, especially with the contract Ehlers carries with him. Scoring in the regular season is great, but the value of those numbers is significantly diminished if a player can’t replicate these performances in the postseason.

On the other side of the coin, Ehlers is a fast, powerful skater who can help drive possession. A significant factor in the Hurricanes’ lack of production on the powerplay were many turnovers, unforced and otherwise; Ehlers is not easily separated from the puck, and has an uncanny ability to find open teammates in times of tight man coverage in the offensive zone.

https://twitter.com/NHLJets/status/1099146042006749184

Will Ehlers fix the Canes’ issues overnight? I don’t believe so. Could he be an important piece in the Canes’ looming offensive puzzle? Absolutely. It wouldn’t be an easy get, however.

The Winnipeg Jets have reportedly approached the Carolina Hurricanes about Ehlers, and what it would take to move him to Raleigh. They allegedly inquired about a right-shot defenseman, which many fans have guessed is Dougie Hamilton. In my opinion, Dougie Hamilton should be untouchable (as should Brett Pesce), but it would make more sense to move a player like Justin Faulk or Haydn Fleury.

If you recall in a previous article I’ve written about moving Haydn Fleury, he is the odd-man out in a Top 6 defenseman situation. I highly doubt Winnipeg would accept a one-for-one deal with Fleury and Ehlers, so moving Fleury and a 2nd round pick makes quite a bit more sense to me.

A one-for-one deal for Justin Faulk would make sense as well, even though the Hurricanes would be taking on a bit of extra salary. If Ehlers turns out to be the goal-scorer I think he can be, it’d turn out to be quite the deal. If not, Ehlers has a modified No-Trade Clause in his contract that takes effect as of the 2022-23 season; this conveniently lines up with the Seattle Expansion. This means he’d have to be protected in the Expansion Draft, and would get significantly harder to move as more time passes.

Like I said, this is a risky move. Depending on the deal, it may be a risk that Waddell and Co. would be wise in taking. In my opinion, Ehlers’ upside is definitely worth it. Let’s hope that if this deal comes to fruition, Rod Brind’amour can help yet another promising young forward achieve great success.

Question for CC Readers: Do you think Ehlers would be a good pickup? What would you prefer the Canes give up for him?