July 1, 2025 | 2:20am ET
TheFourthPeriod.com

DUCKS, HURRICANES AMONG TEAMS EYEING EHLERS

Nikolaj Ehlers, forward

As the free agency doors swing open at noon ET on Tuesday, several teams will be expressing their interest in unrestricted free agent winger Nikolaj Ehlers, including the Anaheim Ducks and Carolina Hurricanes.

Ehlers, 28, is expected to generate significant interest across the market and could command around $9 million per season on a long-term contract.

Both the Ducks and Hurricanes are planning to pursue him later today, and there are some who believe Carolina may have the inside track.

With Mitch Marner, Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand off the market, Ehlers and Brock Boeser are the top-two free agents among forwards, as ranked on TFP’s Top UFAs List.

Ehlers, 29, registered 24 goals and 39 assists for 63 points in 69 games with the Winnipeg Jets this past season. He has spent his entire NHL career with the Jets after being selected ninth-overall by Winnipeg in the 2014 NHL Draft.

It is unclear how much time Ehlers will take to decide his future, but the Hurricanes have been reported as a team with significant interest in him.

In addition to Carolina and Anaheim, the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins, and New York Islanders are among the teams that may also go after Ehlers.