The Nikolaj Ehlers contract will most likely be in the $7 million average annual value (AAV) range. Brock Boeser signed for that price with a seven-year deal to remain with the Vancouver Canucks and it’s the going rate for good, not great wingers, even with a rising salary cap.
According to PuckPedia, the site that’s saved us all the past few days, 15 teams have enough cap space to bring in Ehlers at that price range. The catch is that 15 teams aren’t bidding for him, and he won’t join any of those teams, only the ones where he’s a fit and contending for a Cup. So, let’s look at the five teams that make the most sense for Ehlers (in no particular order).
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are looking for make that final move that can get them over the hump, from kings of the Metropolitan Division to best in the NHL. It’s why they are one of the teams targeting Ehlers.
The K’Andre Miller trade and the Logan Stankoven extension bring them closer to the Cup, just not over the top. They need that one player who can allow them to go up against the Florida Panthers (at least that’s the big-picture thought on this).
The Ehlers addition is what the Hurricanes need. He’s the winger who can work well with Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, and Andrei Svechnikov, benefiting from their puck movement and cross-ice passes. The Hurricanes have 17 million in cap space, which is plenty to get a deal done, and they might by the time you read this.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a sneaky team in the Ehlers sweepstakes, especially since they have $19 million in cap space. The Blue Jackets were a borderline playoff team last season and aren’t a proven contender but they are a team on the rise.
They have a young core led by an elite two-way defenseman in Zach Werenski. Signing Ehlers can take them from a bubble playoff team into the contention conversation every season.
Ehlers is also a great fit on their top line. Sean Monahan and Kirill Marchenko play the center and right wing positions, providing a scoring presence that plays physical hockey as well. Ehlers can play on the left wing and round out that line.
Colorado Avalanche
This team just signed Brent Burns and has $6 million in cap space. So, if the Colorado Avalanche want to make a deal work, they’ll be cutting it close. That said, if he takes a pay cut, this team is a great spot for him.
For years, the Avalanche were a top-heavy team, where four skaters carried them. That’s not the case anymore. Yes, they still have two of the top five players in the NHL, yet they also have a lot of depth. They just need one more top-six forward to put them back in the Cup conversation.
Ehlers fits the bill. He’s a great option on the wing for Nathan MacKinnon and is also an option on the Brock Nelson line while Gabriel Landeskog plays on the other line. It’s why the Avalanche could be a surprise team to watch.
Minnesota Wild
It’s worth noting that the Minnesota Wild have a lot of cap space but only for the time being. That $10 million will be used up (starting next season) with a Kirill Kaprizov extension, and the team will also look to re-sign Marco Rossi, the restricted free agent (RFA) on the rise. So, the Wild are the team to watch if things fall through with Rossi.
Outside of Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, the Wild lack a reliable contributor on the wing. If they sign Ehlers, he won’t play on the top line but he’d be a great fit on the second line and give the Wild more depth on offense.
The one thing to keep in mind is the destination. Ehlers wants to join a winner, which the Wild are but if he’s signing there, he might as well sign with the Winnipeg Jets, who have been successful in the playoffs and are only a few miles north.
Winnipeg Jets
Maybe after all the talk and questions about where the grass is greener, Ehlers decides to return to the Jets. Boeser looked like he was leaving the Canucks and he ended up re-signing so maybe the same thing happens with Ehlers and the Jets.
The Jets also have $19 million to make it work. Ehlers fits in their top six, as recent seasons have proven, plus it’s a familiar and comfortable market to play in. Don’t be surprised if he ends up staying, and we end up hearing about how great a destination Winnipeg is.
