Nikolaj Ehlers has been a valuable piece of the Winnipeg Jets since joining the team, but his name has been coming up more for possible trades. Ehlers is in the last year of his contract. Ehlers, Alex Iafallo, Gabriel Vilardi, Mason Appleton, Vladislav Namestnikov, and four other forwards need a contract for next season. They also have Neal Pionk, Dylan Samberg, Haydn Fleury, and Dylan Coghlan up for a deal on defense.
The problem for Ehlers is that there are some injury concerns surrounding him. The past season was the first time he played all 82 games since 2017-18. In the five seasons in between, Ehlers missed considerable time. The Jets may be weary of using one of their contracts for next season on a player who may not play for 25% of the season if he gets hurt again.
Another thing the Jets have to consider is that this iteration of the Jets hasn't had much success. They already sent former captain Blake Wheeler out of town to join the New York Rangers and all the expiring contracts next season may open up a good opportunity for a complete reset. The Jets need plenty of help, as ticket sales are down, and they didn't do much to improve their team this offseason. It's dark times in Winnipeg, and a reset of the team could be the thing that saves them. If not, they could be looking at another relocation.
Nikolaj Ehlers bolsters Rangers' offensive depth
The Rangers need to use their $7 million in cap space somewhere, and it could be on Nikolaj Ehlers.
Ehlers' name has been swirling in trade rumors for the Rangers, and it seems like it may come down to who is easier to get between him and Trevor Zegras.
The Rangers' problem is losing in two of the last three Eastern Conference Finals. Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin's offense gets swallowed up by the other good teams in the Eastern Conference, causing them to look for more scoring help.
The emergence of Alexis Lafreniere in last year's postseason was almost enough to put them over the top, but they ran into a juggernaut in the Florida Panthers. The Rangers adding Ehlers to the top six would make them one of the best offenses in the league and a top contender for next season's Stanley Cup.
The question is whether a deal could happen where Ehlers and Rangers' captain Jacob Trouba swap places. The Rangers are having trouble getting Trouba to waive his no-trade clause because of a situation at home, but Trouba may waive to return to the Jets. Trouba played with the Jets before leaving to join the Rangers. Trouba's interest in leaving is low, so the Rangers must get creative.
New York Islanders steal Ehlers from their rival
The Islanders have an abundance of forwards at their disposal, but there's an argument that none are more dynamic than Ehlers other than Mat Barzal. They are desperate for better offensive players, and Ehlers would be a valuable piece to add to their current core.
The Islanders may not seem like the best candidate to add Ehlers. Lou Lamoriello prides himself on picking more old-school players, which Ehlers doesn't offer. However, even Lou has to realize that the Islanders must get more dynamic to be contenders in the Eastern Conference.
The Islanders have Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri heading to unrestricted free agency next season, then Anders Lee and JG Pageau the season after that. The core of the Islanders is slowly changing, and Ehlers could be part of a new guard.
Montreal Canadiens add one more piece
The Montreal Canadiens had one line of depth and a bunch of second and third-liners when they finished the 2023-24 season. Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Cole Caufield gained chemistry last season to form their future first line, but the Canadiens knew they needed more depth. They almost solved that problem immediately in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft, selecting Ivan Demidov and Michael Hage. Demidov will be an elite point producer for the Canadiens when he comes over from Russia, and Hage looked like a steal at the team's development camp.
The Canadiens could add one more dynamic forward to their future top six, pushing players like Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook down to the third line. The depth the Canadiens would possess with this lineup construction would be absurd considering their deep crop of defensive prospects and what looks like an elite goalie in Jacob Fowler playing in Boston College.
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