The Winnipeg Jets may or may not have the services of forward Nikolaj Ehlers for the 2025-26 season an onward. 

Ehlers, 29, skated in just 16:45 of game time as the Jets were eliminated by the Dallas Stars in the fifth game of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs this past weekend. 

The Danish forward has battled injury problems and usage issues over the course of his NHL career - one that began with the Jets selecting him ninth overall in the 2014 NHL Draft.

Having suited up for four different coaches in Winnipeg, Ehlers never landed that coveted top-line role, often serving on the team's second line and second power play unit. 

Now an unrestricted free agent, the 10-year NHL veteran will have options at his fingertips. Whether he chooses to stick with familiarity and remain in Winnipeg on a long-term deal, or explore his earned rights as a free agent remains up in the air. 

WIth 225 goals and 520 points to his name in 674 regular season contests for Winnipeg, Ehlers has proven to be a dynamic offensive threat. His speed and shifty playmaking abilities are his strong suits.

Finding a way to translate that regular season success to the postseason has been a challenge for Ehlers, that is, until the 2025 playoffs, where he had five goals and seven points in eight games played for Winnipeg, after having only scored four goals and 14 points in his previous 37 postseason contests. 

There typically are not many unrestricted free agents available on the open market with the skillset of Ehlers. That, paired with the fact that the salary cap will continue to rise over the course of the next three seasons, it is believed Ehlers will have a number of options to consider come July 1.

Ehlers' teammates did not mince words when asked their thoughts on his possible departure or re-signing in exit interviews this week. The following are excerpts from those conversations:

KYLE CONNOR:

“Nik? He’s huge. Obviously, one of our best players and he carries the play so much when he’s on the ice. He’s a big part of our power play this year too. He’s a huge piece for us and big in our locker room too. He’s got a big voice.”

CONNOR HELLEBUYCK:

"The business side of the game is unfortunate sometimes, but it’s something that has to take care of itself. He’s an awesome guy to be around and it’s been such a pleasure watching him grow his game - not only on the ice but off the ice as well - and watching him become the guy he is. He’s such a big part of this family and the heart and soul of a lot of things we do here. Not only does he bring it on the ice, but just around the rink he’s a pleasure to be around. You know he’s going to have your back no matter what you’re going though. He’s a big part of the group and the business side is up to him and his group coming up."

JOSH MORRISSEY:

"Obviously those things are out of my control, but certainly I've played with Nikky for nine years now. He's a fantastic player, fantastic teammate, fantastic guy. I guess try not to think about those things too much, but certainly love playing with him and hope he can be back."

VLAD NAMESTNIKOV:

“That’s stuff I can’t control. I love Niki and hope he stays, but that’s the business side of it and out of my control. Being unrestricted is hard, but it’s part of the business and everyone goes through it. As I said, I’d love everyone to stay, but that’s not up to me.”

ADAM LOWRY: 

"That's above my pay grade. Being Nikky's friend, playing with him for so long, all you want to do is support him. Unrestricted free agency, it's something that you have to wait for, and he's earned that right. I think I'd echo the statement of everyone in this room, that we'd love to see Nikky back. He's a huge part of our team. He's a game-breaker, he's great in this room. I would say I'm like the rest of you. We're all waiting, holding our breath, hoping that we can get something done. But that's one of those things, that's the business side of it, where regardless of what happens we'll be really happy for Nik. He's a great person, a great player and whatever he decides, he's earned that right. And like I said, we'd be very happy. But we'd be extra happy if he decides that Winnipeg is where he wants to spend the next however-many years."

COLE PERFETTI:

"Me and Fly are pretty tight. We're good friends and we hang out a lot outside the rink and on the road and stuff like that. He's obviously an unbelievable guy and you know what his play does. You guys see it every night and that speaks for itself but, for the locker room and for the kind of guy he is, we sit together at the card table on the plane, so we spend a lot of time together. And he's a great guy, great teammate. He would do anything for this team. I'm just hoping... Obviously, we all want him back. It's out of our control. He's a heck of a player, heck of a person. Just hopefully he knows that everyone here... And I know he does know everyone here wants him around because he's a joy to life and an excellent player. Whatever happens happens. That's out of our control. Right now, I'm rooting for him at the Worlds and I've just been talking to him a little bit there. I just hope he has a good summer and hopefully we'll see him back here in September."

KEVIN CHEVELDAYOFF:

“Obviously he is at the World Championships right now. I talked to him the other day when he was going over. We haven’t had the ability to sit down with him like we did Witt the other players - Nino as well, Nino is over there. We will finish that process when they are done. I did get a chance earlier, Nikolaj’s agent was in town here and we met for about two hours, I don’t know what day it was, the off-day, Monday, when we had an off-day. So we chatted. Obviously, Nikolaj has been a player that has grown up in our organization, drafted, developed as someone that we think the world of. We went into this year eyes wide open that he was a potential unrestricted free agent. Players earn that opportunity and when we get a chance to talk to him, we will put our best foot forward to try to make our case to be one of those guys who can be a unique ‘Jet for Life’ type of player and we’ll see where it goes from there. But the relationship is great. He did contribute to the success of this organization on many fronts, and we hope that that’s something that can continue. If he does choose to go in a different direction, then obviously as an organization we will have to evolve as we have in the past with other things. It will be another opportunity for us to grow in a different area.”