The Carolina Hurricanes have made the NHL playoffs every season since 2019, with all but one of those appearances including the conference semis or finals. As consistently good as they have been, they have missed that one player who can help put them over the top and cash their ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals.
They have the chance to rectify that this offseason, and should, by signing free agent left winger Nikolaj Ehlers.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie linked the two, reporting that the Hurricanes are among several contending teams in the hunt for the 29-year-old, last of the Winnipeg Jets.
The No. 1 free agent remaining following Mitch Marner’s sign-and-trade to the Vegas Golden Knights, it is not difficult to see why Ehlers is in high demand.
He enjoyed his highest output since 2016 last season, scoring 24 goals and tallying 39 assists. He is an excellent puck handler, can find the net, but excels in setting up scoring opportunities for teammates.
An offensive facilitator, he would serve as an immediate upgrade at a key position and could realistically supplant Andrei Svechnikov or Seth Jarvis and star alongside Sebastian Aho on the first line.
The move would improve a Hurricanes offense already ranked in the top 10 in the league and give them the fire power necessary to compete against top scoring squads like Toronto, Tampa, and Washington during the regular season, while taking that next step toward challenging Florida in the Eastern Conference.
He does have some defensive shortcomings, but the manner in which he fuels offenses is such that teams will justifiably overlook them to strengthen their front line.
Such should be the case for Carolina, who has gotten so close in recent years to returning to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they last hoisted the most coveted prize in professional hockey in 2006.
Adding Ehlers would give them the boost and, potentially, the last bit of firepower needed to topple the mighty two-time champion Panthers in pursuit of a title that has eluded them for two decades.