New York Rangers to pursue 650 game NHL veteran during free agency: Per Elliotte Friedman
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
According to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, the Winnipeg Jets forward, and pending UFA Nikolaj Ehlers, will head into July to test free agency. The winger has played in Winnipeg his entire career, and the former $42 million star's silence is deafening when it comes to returning Kevin Cheveldayoff's calls.
NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman reported today that Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers will test free agency.
The forwards' $42 million contract expired at the end of this season, and for the Jets, negotiations haven't been successful.
Ehlers spent 10 years of his NHL career with the team, playing 674 games, and has only now started to see glimpses of success as they've made the playoffs twice in the last two years.
But even a raise couldn't convince him to stay in Winnipeg. It seems like he could be headed to a bigger market and a contending team, if we were to speculate.
Could GM Chris Drury take advantage of this?
After trading Chris Kreider and signing Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom, the team has $12.19 million in available cap space left to work with.
There's been speculation about what kind of AAV he'll be able to get for his next deal, which could be upwards of $8.1-9 million if we go by Hockey Comparables.
Quite a sum for a team whose cash pile is dwindling as time goes on, and other RFAs remain unsigned.
This season, he's been a key forward in the Jets' lineup, scoring 63 points (24-39) in 69 games. He could easily slot in on the Rangers' 1st-line and offer an immediate impact.
For contending teams, spending to the cap is no issue. Will GM Chris Drury remain conservative, or bring in a hired gun like Ehlers, who could put the team back where they need to be in 2025-26?
Previously on NYRangersInsider
| POLL | ||
JUIN 26 | 847 ANSWERS New York Rangers to pursue 650 game NHL veteran during free agency: Per Elliotte Friedman Do you think forward Nikolaj Ehlers, a Winnipeg Jets and pending UFA, will sign with the New York Rangers in July? | ||
| Yes | 303 | 35.8 % |
| No | 544 | 64.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
