Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers will be testing the market, per Elliotte Friedman.
The 29-year-old, who just completed the final season of a seven-year deal worth $6 million annually, recorded 63 points (24 goals, 39 assists) in 69 games. He scored five goals with two assists for seven points in eight playoff games for Winnipeg this season.
Ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft, The Hockey News learned that the New York Islanders inquired about Ehlers' availability. However, Winnipeg ultimately decided to hold onto him, and given how they performed leading up to the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, they weren't willing to move one of their top forwards.
Now, the Jets will be losing him without compensation, and many teams will likely line up for his skill set.
With Mitch Marner testing the free agent waters, Ehlers will come in as the No. 2 winger available.
If there's one thing the Islanders need, it's a consistent goal-scoring winger. Ehlers has been and should continue to be a 20-25 goal scorer, as well as someone who can play on a top power-play unit.
Six of his 24 goals this past season came on the man advatange. The Islanders, who owned the second-worst power play in the NHL at 12.6%, scored a total of 26 and could use someone, especially with Brock Nelson no longer on Long Island.
Cap space becomes an issue for the Islanders if they want in on Ehlers.
Per Puckpedia, the Islanders have a tad over $20 million in available cap space. That's before signing restricted free-agent defensemen Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov to their respective longer-term deals if both remain with the club.
Those two players likely consume $12 of the remaining $20 million, with restricted free agents Simon Holmstrom (around $4 million AAV) and Maxim Tsyplakov (around $2 million AAV) still needing deals.
That would leave the Islanders with only $2 million or so in available cap space, which is obviously not enough to sign Ehlers at $8 million — he's likely to get a tad more.
If the Islanders want to create cap space, they would likely have to move on from Jean-Gabriel Pageau and his $5 million and Pierre Engvall, who makes $3 million annually.
Moving those two deals would create an additional $8 million, which would allow them to be players in the Ehlers' sweepstake.
To me, Ehlers is the exact player the Islanders need, and he won't cost as much as a Marner, who could get north of $14 million annually this summer.
There will be some teams that are hesitant to give Ehlers a long-term deal, given his injury history.
Over his 10-year NHL career, he has played in 82 games just twice, failing to play in more than 70 games four times, excluding the 56-game shortened 2020-21 season. He was limited to just 69 games in 2024-25 but did play in all 82 games for the third time in his career in 2023-24.
The best ability is availability and the Islanders have not had injury luck over the last few seasons.
If the Islanders are keeping Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat together -- that will ultimately depend o Pageau or another center being moved and what the plans are for Calum Ritchie -- then Ehlers becomes the left winger that completes that line.
Now, we said the same thing about Anthony Duclair being the final piece to that puzzle when the Islanders signed him to a four-year deal worth $4.5 million annually last summer. Injuries and inconsistency have him as a major question mark right now.
But, and this is no offense to Duclair, Ehlers is the stronger player. Don't forget that the Islanders have Kyle Palmieri locked up for two more years, who could skate alongside either Horvat or Barzal, or whoever mans the second-line center role.
If the Islanders decide to separate Barzal and Horvat — I think Barzal needs to be playing center — then the Islanders will become even deeper with Ehlers in their lineup.
Ehlers could either skate alongside Horvat on the top line or Barzal on the second line -- the top two lines will likely play similar minutes.
There's also a trickling-down effect if the Islanders can Ehlers in the door.
Simon Holmstrom, another pending restricted free agent, proved this past season that he could be a top-six forward. He did play on the top line at times this season but is certainly more suited for a second-line role.
Maxim Tsyplakov played more of a middle-six role this past season but may be better suited on the Islanders' third line.
If the Islanders hold onto Pierre Engvall, who has five years left on his deal, he could be playing a fourth-line role as opposed to a middle-six role.
The Islanders need to get deeper with talent and Ehlers would be a major help in that regard.
Photo: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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