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After the Winnipeg Jets saw their season end to the Dallas Stars in six games, they turned their focus to the offseason. The biggest pending free agent for the Jets this year is Nikolaj Ehlers. We look at the top free agency destinations for Ehlers in this 2025 offseason.
Ehlers was one of the top players on the Jets this year. He played in just 69 games this year, but scored 24 goals and had 39 assists. His 63 points placed him third on the team this year. Now he is set to be a free agent this offseason, but the Jets are hoping to re-sign Ehlers. Last season, Ehlers made $6 million, and with the salary cap increasing and his play, that number should increase on this contract. According to Cap Wages, the Jets are projected to have over $25 million in cap space, and Ehlers would project to be an $8.5 million cap hit.
If the Jets are unable to re-sign Ehlers, there will be multiple teams looking to do so. Not only is Ehlers a top-scoring threat, he is just 29. Further, multiple teams not only have the need for Ehlers but also the cap space to bring him in.
The Canadiens want to add to their young core
The Canadiens will look to be aggressive in the free agent market this offseason. They made the playoffs for the first time since losing in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2021. Still, they lost in the first round in five games to the Capitals. The top line of Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield was great this year. Both players had over 30 goals and 70 total points. Further, both players are young, with Suzuki turning 26 this offseason and Caufield turning 25 during the season. Both players are also under contract for the next five years. Nikolaj Ehlers would give another scoring option that could fit in with both players. While he is older than both Suzuki and Caufield, he is turning just 30 this year.
Further, the Canadiens also have Patrik Laine, a former teammate of Ehlers. This past connection with Laine could encourage Ehlers to make the move to Montreal. All three of Laine's best point-producing seasons came when he was a member of the Jets and spent much of his time on the same line as Ehlers. Montreal is expected to have over $21 million in cap space this offseason, which will be enough to not only bring in Ehlers but also take care of some of their free agents as well.
The Hurricanes need more scoring threats
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The Hurricanes are just one game away from being eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. One of the major issues in this series has been scoring. The Hurricanes have managed just four goals in their three games. Carolina was also ninth in the NHL this year in scoring, but struggled on the power play. The Hurricanes were 25th in the NHL on the power play this past year. Nikolaj Ehlers was solid on the power play this year, with six goals and 16 assists.
Ehlers would most likely play on the top power-play unit and second line if he joins the Hurricanes in free agency. This would give Carolina the flexibility to move Andrei Svechnikov to the top line over Taylor Hall, or keep him with Ehlers on the second line to have more scoring options. Svechnikov has 20 goals and 28 assists this year, fourth on the team in points. Further, Ehlers would replace Jackson Blake on the line, who had just 17 goals and 17 assists this year. Carolina is projected to have over $30 million in cap space this offseason. They will need to re-sign some key defensemen, but will have the cap space to make a play at Ehlers and some other top free agents.
The Kraken need help on the power play
The Kraken have already made major changes this offseason, firing their coach. They need a top-flight forward to pair with Matty Beniers on the top line. With Beniers still under contract for multiple years to come, a permanent solution for a linemate for him is needed in Seattle. This year, it was Kaapo Kakko for most of the year. Kakko is a pending restricted free agent and was not a major scoring threat, coming away with just ten goals and 20 assists this year. With Jaden Schwartz with Beniers on the top line, and a second line with Jared McCann and Chandler Stephenson, adding Ehlers would give the Kraken two full lines of scoring threats.
Further, Ehlers would become a top power-play option immediately. Chandler Stephenson led the team in power-play points, having just one goal and 17 assists. Ehlers had six goals and 16 assists on the power play. The Kraken were 23rd in the NHL on the power play this past year and would improve with Ehlers. Seattle is expected to have $21 million in cap space, so making a run at Ehlers would be doable.
