The Carolina Hurricanes could have other NHL teams going back to the drawing board after agreeing to terms with Nikolaj Ehlers on a six-year contract worth $8.5 million per season.
One of the NHL's top remaining UFAs leaves the Winnipeg Jets after 10 seasons to join the Hurricanes. The left winger now has the second-highest cap hit on the Hurricanes behind Sebastian Aho's $9.75 million. Some NHL squads will have to look at next steps after missing out on Ehlers, who's now signed through the 2030-31 season.
“Nikolaj was the top free agent available on July 1, and we are proud that he’s chosen to make Carolina his home,” Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky said in a news release. “He’s a highly skilled winger who can really skate and will fit very well with our forward group.”
Ehlers, 29, had 24 goals and 39 assists for 63 points in 69 games with the Jets this past season, adding another seven points in eight playoff contests. His ice time per game has been between 15 and 16 minutes for the past three seasons after logging a career-high 18:04 average in 2021-22.
He's only played at least 70 games in a season four times, either due to shortened campaigns or injuries. That said, he's coming off back-to-back seasons of at least 60 points, which previously occurred in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.
Of the top UFA forwards left, Ehlers had 24 points than the next-highest scorer, former Hurricanes center Jack Roslovic, who recorded 39 points this past season.
Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic posted to X earlier on Thursday, saying there's a sense that Ehlers' decision could spur trade activity among clubs who missed out.
Mitch Marner, Brock Boeser, Mikael Granlund and Brad Marchand all came off the board either before the market opened or shortly after. Even some middle-six options, such as Jonathan Drouin and Pius Suter, signed with new clubs.
Aside from Roslovic, other remaining UFAs who can play on the wing include Victor Olofsson, Jeff Skinner, Anthony Beauvillier, Joel Kiviranta and Michael Carcone.
There's also the option of going the offer-sheet route and targeting RFAs, which include Kaapo Kakko and Alex Laferriere or centers Gabriel Vilardi, Marco Rossi and Mason McTavish. But those players would have to be willing to leave their current clubs, which can also choose whether to match the offer sheet or not.
A team looking to take away an RFA needs at least its own first-round pick and third-round pick to sign a player for an average annual value of over $4,680,076 when dividing the total salary by the term length or five years, whichever is lower. If the offer sheet AAV is over $7,020,113 but below $9,360,153, the compensation would have to be a first-, second- and third-rounder.
The trade route opens up more possibilities to acquire a top-six winger.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, which finished fourth-last in the Eastern Conference this past season, have two forwards who could be trade bait, according to The Hockey News' Kelsey Surmacz.
Rickard Rakell, 32, has three years left on his contract with a $5-million cap hit and an eight-team no-trade list, according to PuckPedia. He had 35 goals and 70 points for the Penguins this past season, both career highs.
Bryan Rust, 33, is also under contract for three more years at a $5.125-million cap hit. He had 31 goals and 34 assists for 65 points – all career highs – in 71 games.
Dallas Stars left winger Jason Robertson surfaced in trade speculation before NHL free agency, as the Stars faced a cap crunch while trying to re-sign their pending UFAs. The 25-year-old has been one of Dallas' best forwards, recording 80 points in the past two seasons and 109 points in 2022-23 while staying healthy. He has one more year on his contract with a $7.75-million cap hit before becoming an RFA with arbitration rights.
The Stars re-signed Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene, Mavrik Bourque and Nils Lundkvist, among others, and they brought back longtime Stars center Radek Faksa after he played one season with the St. Louis Blues. Dallas has rounded out its roster but sits nearly $1.8 million over the salary cap ceiling. Nevertheless, a trade return for Robertson would have to be so good that Dallas remains a Stanley Cup contender, gains cap space and maintains a high level of scoring.
If Rust, Rakell and Robertson aren't available, then Nashville Predators right winger Jonathan Marchessault has also been a topic of trade speculation after the team finished third-last in the Western Conference in 2024-25. The 34-year-old put up 21 goals and 56 points in 78 games this past season, and he has four years left on his contract with a $5.5-million cap hit and a full no-movement clause.
If it's back to the drawing board for teams that couldn't find what they were looking for in NHL free agency, they at least have options to pursue during summer.
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