Every offseason, teams line up to offer massive contracts to unrestricted free agents they believe can take their team to the next level. This season, one of those players is Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers.
James Mirtle of The Athletic answered a question from a fan about the possibility of the Toronto Maple Leafs pursuing Ehlers in his recent article and touched upon the fact that Ehlers could command a massive sum of money.
"In a vacuum, I can see the argument for it, given their needs up front and the thinness of the UFA crop. But he’s going to command upward of $9 million a season, has struggled historically in the playoffs and brings little physical element."
While many insiders have stated that they could see Ehlers fetching an $8M contract, it seems like Ehlers is going to test the desires of desperate teams in a thin free-agent market. Although Jets fans are holding out hope, and no reports have indicated the Jets are completely out of the race for Ehlers, it's beginning to trend toward the direction of the highest bidder. Unfortunately for the Jets, not only are they unable to do that, but it's likely for the best that they don't overpay during their Stanley Cup window.
Is Winnipeg Jets Forward Nikolaj Ehlers Good as Gone?
General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and the Winnipeg Jets' front office have a lot on their hands over the next two-and-a-half weeks.
Currently, the market for the 29-year-old speedy winger is large, and no front-runners have been determined. The Anaheim Ducks, Utah Mammoth, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks and the Los Angeles Kings have made it known that they want to add talent to their rosters, and Ehlers would do just that.
Accepting the fact that Ehlers is gone will be difficult, but the Jets front office will desperately need to find a way to replace his scoring. JJ Peterka, Marco Rossi, Jason Robertson, Jonathan Marchessault and Martin Necas highlight some big names who could be available in trades.
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Jets Forward Nikolaj Ehlers Named To Denmark's Olympic Team; Several Other Jets Players Left Off
The qualified Men's Olympic hockey teams are naming the first six players to their roster, and earlier today, Team Denmark announced Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers as one of those six.