During the offseason, there are speculations that circulate regarding whether or not the Winnipeg Jets will move Nikolaj Ehlers. These reports vary depending on the day, or even on the direction in which the wind is blowing at a specific moment. Some of these reports have mentioned the New York Rangers, despite the fact that they do not require another left winger and it is tough to think that they could add the forward’s $6 million deal. However, if the Jets maintained payroll and took on Kaapo Kakko as part of the return package, however, it would be difficult to imagine that they could do so.
Once more, it would appear that the Rangers are not a good fit for the team. Nevertheless, it is possible that one of their competitors in the Metropolitan Division is. The forward for the Jets, who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agency at the conclusion of the upcoming season, has been linked to the Carolina Hurricanes in recent rumors. Over the course of this summer, the Hurricanes have suffered a number of losses, including the departure of forwards Jake Guentzel, Teuvo Teravainen, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Stefan Noesen, as well as defensemen Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei, amongst others.
RFA forward Martin Necas, who has filed for salary arbitration, has also voiced a desire to be traded out of Carolina. Necas wanted to leave Carolina.
To answer your question, the Hurricanes do, in fact, have a requirement for a forward group that includes a skilled goal scorer and a well-respected veteran like Ehlers. There is also the possibility that Necas, who is three years younger than Ehlers, would be a good candidate for a trade.
Over the course of this summer, the distance between the Rangers and the Hurricanes has widened. The Rangers have had a quiet offseason and will return the majority of their roster that won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24. This comes after the Rangers finished three points ahead of the Hurricanes for first place in the division and first overall in the National Hockey League. The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired forward Reilly Smith, and they have signed free agency center Sam Carrick. Additionally, they have re-signed restricted free agents Kaapo Kakko and Braden Schneider, as well as unrestricted free agent defenseman Chad Ruhwedel. There were three players who left the team in free agency: Erik Gustaffson, Alex Wennberg, and Jack Roslovic. Additionally, they are still have to reach an agreement with defenseman Ryan Lindgren, who is slated to have a hearing on salary arbitration on August 2nd.
There is not much of a disruption to a legitimate contender for the Stanley Cup. However, although the Rangers continue to be in a solid position, the Hurricanes have suffered a loss of strength both in the offensive and defensive departments, despite the fact that they have signed free agents Sean Walker and Shayne Gostisbehere. And this is a club that the Rangers eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the second round this past spring, making it the second time in the previous three years that they have gone out of the playoffs in this manner.
The expected cap space for Carolina is $13.857 million, which means that there is room for the team to make a move or two. In the event that they did make a trade for Ehlers, it would be in their best interest to maintain Necas, provided that the 25-year-old does not present any difficulties in moving forward with his request to be traded. If Ehlers were to leave as a free agent during the following offseason, it would be less than ideal to switch one player for the other.
He averages 25 goals and 60 points per game in the National Hockey League. During his time with the Jets, he has played 605 games and had a total of 457 points and 201 goals scored. Every single one of his 25 goals from the previous season was scored at even strength. It is possible that he may achieve a goal total of more than 30 for the first time if the Hurricanes gave him more opportunities to participate on power plays.
Ehlers is perhaps the most big name out there who may provide a lift to a squad that needs a shot in the arm after a poor summer to this point. This is unless the Hurricanes know something that we do not know about Mitchell Marner’s availability during this offseason.
Although the signing of Ehlers would not shift the power dynamic in the division away from the Rangers, it would be beneficial to the Hurricanes’ standing and their efforts to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.
