The Carolina Hurricanes added arguably the best free agent still available on Thursday.
They agreed to a six-year, $51 million deal with former Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers. The average annual value of the deal is $8.5 million.
This is a major win for the Hurricanes. They are bolstering their lineup for another long playoff run next season after losing to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final this past season. It was the second time in three seasons that the Hurricanes lost to the Panthers in the ECF.
Ehlers is an immediate upgrade to their top six and is someone who can score from anywhere in the offensive zone. He finished the 2024-25 season with 24 goals and 63 points in 69 games.
He had been with the Jetsfor the last decade and was the ninth overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. Ehlers is an eight-time 20-goal scorer and has compiled 225 goals and 520 points in 674 games.
The Penguins have struggled to beat the Hurricanes in recent seasons due to stylistic differences, and that seems unlikely to change this upcoming season.
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