After a decade of restricted usage in Winnipeg, the Danish speedster’s bold leap to Carolina has him on the verge of hockey’s biggest stage.
If you told Nikolaj Ehlers 10 years ago that he'd be one win away from making it to his first Stanley Cup Final, the then 20-year-old sophomore Winnipeg Jets forward likely wouldn't believe that it took that long.
What he also wouldn't believe is that he'd be doing so with the Carolina Hurricanes.
A long-time member of the Jets, Ehlers was drafted and developed through Kevin Cheveldayoff and Mark Chipman's system.
He put up 25 or more goals and 50 or more points in five of his 10 seasons in Manitoba and quickly became a fan favourite in and around Winnipeg.
He loved the team, the city and its fans.
Photo by James Guillory/USA Today Ehlers, who moved around a fair bit as a child and teenager, has actually called Winnipeg home longer than any other city he's lived in over the course of his 30 years.
'Fly,' as he's called by teammates who marvel at his breathtaking speed and acceleration, quickly developed a friendship with fellow Scandinavian, Patrik Laine. The two seemed inseparable during their early years with the Jets.
The only place they were separated was on the ice.
For reasons unknown to the average fan, head coaches in Winnipeg have always liked Ehlers, but have never rewarded him quite the way he'd have hoped. None of Claude Noel, Paul Maurice, Dave Lowry, Rick Bowness or Scott Arniel gave Ehlers the opportunity for top-line minutes or considerable time on the first power play unit.
And that ultimately led to his departure last summer.
As his long-term contract neared its conclusion, Ehlers' frustration with his usage and on-ice deployment continued to grow. It boiled over to the point of opting to use his unrestricted free agent right to sign with the Carolina Hurricanes - to the tune of six years and $51 million.
Ehlers, who often mentions the importance of his family when making decisions, said he received input from his father, Heinz - a longtime coach in his native Denmark - when talking about his playing future.
Opting for a change of scenery, Ehlers chose Raleigh, North Carolina as his new stomping grounds. That decision has already given him more points, power play minutes and more Stanley Cup Playoff wins than any singular season in Winnipeg garnered over his first 10 years in the league.
So, to say he made the 'right' decision.
Last week, after seeing his Canes fall to Montreal in the Eastern Conference Final series opener, Ehlers scored two goals - including the overtime winner - in Carolina's Game 2 victory. The Hurricanes have since gone on to pick up two more victories in the series, moving to within one win of the Stanley Cup Final.
He did so with his father in attendance at the game.
For Ehlers, making it to the Final will provide another difficult speed bump: the Vegas Golden Knights.
A team that stood in Winnipeg's way more than once in the postseason - most notably in 2018, winning the Western Conference Championship in Manitoba, en route to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in just their first year of existence.
Sure, there are a number of Manitobans on the Golden Knights, but they've all been there before. This time, it's Ehlers' time to shine. With one more victory over the suddenly powerless Canadiens, he will have that chance to skate as one of the final two teams remaining in the playoffs.
Oh, and he'll be doing it alongside Winnipeg's top current hockey player, Seth Jarvis, who is also coincidentally signed through the 2030-31 season in Carolina.
No, he's no longer with Winnipeg, but according to most in the Manitoba prairies, he will always be an easy choice to cheer for - even while dressed in Carolina's unfamiliar red and black.