Winnipeg Jets left winger Nikolaj Ehlers has a year remaining on his contract. Which NHL teams should attempt to acquire him?

Speculation appeared last week suggesting Nikolaj Ehlers could become a trade candidate. Since then, the 28-year-old Winnipeg Jets winger has become a fixture in the rumor mill.

Ehler's contract is fuelling the conjecture. He has a year remaining on his deal with a cap hit of $6 million and a 10-team no-trade clause, after which he's slated to become a UFA, per PuckPedia. A skillful scoring winger, Ehlers tallied 20-plus goals in seven of the last eight seasons and 50 or more points five times. 

The Athletic's Murat Ates believes Ehlers could become trade bait if he doesn't reach an agreement with Jets management on a contract extension. Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun thinks the Jets could use him as trade bait for a top-four defenseman.  

The Hockey News' Michael DeRosa felt the Buffalo Sabres could be a trade partner for Ehlers. Stefen Rosner thinks he'd fit in well with the New York Islanders, and Sammi Silber believes he'd be a good addition for the Washington Capitals. All three clubs could use an offensive boost next season. 

Steve Warne noted that Ates mentioned trading Ehlers to the Ottawa Senators for defenseman Jakob Chychrun or the Carolina Hurricanes for one of their high-priced blueliners. Ates also proposed offering him to the Utah franchise for power forward Lawson Crouse.

Billeck suggested peddling Ehlers for draft picks and using the savings to pursue a blueliner when the free-agent market opens on July 1. Options could include Florida's Brandon Montour, Carolina's Brett Pesce or Brady Skjei, or Vancouver's Nikita Zadorov.

Ehlers will have some say about where he might end up if the Jets decide to trade him in the coming weeks. Some of the teams mentioned above could be on his no-trade list. His cap hit is $6 million but he's earning $6.75 million actual salary, which could be a deal breaker for more budget-conscious clubs. 

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