Nikolaj Ehlers has found a new team.
The Carolina Hurricanes announced Thursday they have signed Danish forward Nikolaj Ehlers, formerly of the Winnipeg Jets, to a six-year contract valued at $51 million.
Ehlers, 29, had played his whole career with the Jets since being the ninth overall pick in the 2014 draft.
Last season, he scored 24 goals and 39 assists in 69 games, contributing to the Jets` first Presidents` Trophy win. Ehlers also recorded five goals and two assists in eight playoff appearances, joining the team late after recovering from an injury.
Over his 674-game NHL career, Ehlers ranks seventh in his draft class with a total of 515 points (225 goals, 290 assists).
Standing six feet tall and weighing 172 pounds, he has reached the 60-point mark four times in his career, despite averaging just 16 minutes and 26 seconds of ice time and frequently being limited to the Jets` second power-play unit.
His previous contract, a six-year deal worth a total of $42 million ($6 million average annual value), began in the 2018-19 season.
Ehlers now joins Carolina, a team that has reached the Eastern Conference Final twice in the last three years.
“Nikolaj was the premier free agent available on July 1st, and we are thrilled he chose Carolina,” stated Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky. “He is a highly skilled winger with excellent skating ability and will be a great addition to our forward lineup.”
