RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Nikolaj Ehlers knows what awaits.

The forward was a sought-after free agent who chose to sign with the Carolina Hurricanes, a team that has made seven straight postseason trips while becoming a perennial Eastern Conference contender for the Stanley Cup. And that brings a spotlight on his transition with a team still trying to punch its way through to the Cup final for the first time since 2006.

kAm“%96 6IA64E2E:@?D 2C6 2D 9:89 2D x @H E96J D9@F=5 36[Q t9=6CD D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96 ah\J62C\@=5 t9=6CD DA6?E `_ D62D@?D H:E9 E96 (:??:A68 y6ED[ A@DE:?8 2E =62DE a_ 8@2=D 😕 6:89E D62D@?D 2?5 A=2J:?8 2E 2 C@F89=J A@:?E\A6C\82>6 A246 =2DE J62C Web A@:?ED 😕 eh 82>6DX] w6 28C665 E@ 2 D:I\J62C 562= H:E9 2? 2G6C286 2??F2= G2=F6 @7 Sg]d >:==:@? E@ ;@:? 2 r2C@=:?2 C@DE6C E92E C6EFC?D >2:?DE2JD =:<6 7@CH2C5D $632DE:2? p9@[ $6E9 y2CG:D 2?5 p?5C6: $G649?:<@G[ 2=@?8 H:E9 5676?D6>2? y244@3 $=2G:? 2?5 42AE2:? y@C52? $E22=]k^Am

kAmt9=6CD[ H9@ ;@:?65 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^42C@=:?2\9FCC:42?6D\<2?5C6\>:==6C\346_h6f7h675f32fcd_c3“7b3hc3cgeQmEC256\24BF:D:E:@? 5676?D6>2? zVp?5C6 |:==6Ck^2m 2D <6J @77D62D@? 255:E:@?D[ 😀 H:E9 y2CG:D @? E96 p9@\46?E6C65 E@A =:?6] u@C ?@H[ E92E >62?D 3F:=5:?8 C9JE9>D 2?5 4@>7@CE 😕 2 =:?6FA 4@>:?8 @77 2 D64@?5 EC:A E@ E96 4@?76C6?46 7:?2= 😕 E9C66 D62D@?D — k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?9=\A=2J@77D\42C@=:?2\9FCC:42?6D\6`bh7a7h`7_dfd_2e_2f3_466g“c7g3Qm=@D:?8 3@E9 E:>6D E@ EH@\E:>6 C6:8?:?8 492>A:@? u=@C:52k^2m]k^Am

kAm“x AFE 6?@F89 AC6DDFC6 @? >JD6=7 E@ 8@ @FE E96C6 2?5 A6C7@C>[” t9=6CD D2:5] “x @H H92E x 42? 5@ 2?5 xV> 8@:?8 E@ 5@ >J 36DE 6G6CJ D:?8=6 ?:89E E@ 96=A E9:D E62> H:?] xEVD 2=H2JD 366? E92E H2J] %96 AC6DDFC6 7C@> 6G6CJ@?6 6=D6[ x @H :EVD E96C6] qFE x 92G6 6IA64E2E:@?D @7 >JD6=7[ 2?5 @7 E9:D E62>[ E@ 8@ @FE 2?5 5@ 8C62E]”k^Am

kAmv6EE:?8 t9=6CD 😀 E96 =2E6DE 255:E:@? 😕 2 >F=E:\J62C 9F?E 7@C 2?@E96C 9:89\6?5 7:?:D96C 3J E96 wFCC:42?6D] %96J ;@:? %@C@?E@ W?:?6X[ r@=@C25@ W6:89EX 2?5 %2>A2 q2J W6:89EX 2D E96 @?=J }w{ E62>D H:E9 24E:G6 A@DED62D@? DEC62

kAm%96 wFCC:42?6D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?9=\EC256\5625=:?6\7gc23df_h242bg45e`g3_dge7_2dc5__QmEC2565 7@C y2<6 vF6?EK6= 😕 a_ack^2m 367@C6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?9=\EC256D\7C66\286?4J\4f`_gh2`6fgh552ce4d2c56bafd45eabQmEC25:?8 9:D C:89ED 2H2Jk^2m D9@CE=J 367@C6 9:D 6IA64E65 56A2CEFC6 😕 7C66 286?4J] %96? 42>6 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^9FCC:42?6D\2G2=2?496\3=24<92H^2CE:4=6^?9=\EC256\5625=:?6\`e66f4gfec76ehbaad336g42hdf6acc4Qm2E =2DE J62C’D 5625=:?6k^2m H96? :E 3642>6 4=62C 96 H@F=5?’E D:8? 2 =@?86C\E6C> 562=]k^Am

kAm(9:=6 E9@D6 >@G6D 25565 E2=6?E[ E96J 2=D@ 7@C465 E96 E62> E@ C6D9F77=6 @? E96 7=J 7@C E96 DEC6E49 CF? 😕 E96 C68F=2C D62D@?] p9@ 2==F565 E@ E92E 😕 6I:E :?E6CG:6HD 27E6C E96 =@DD E@ E96 !2?E96CD[ ?@E:?8 96 925 366? 5:D2AA@:?E65 H:E9 E96 E62>VD @77D62D@? C6E@@=:?8 367@C6 =2DE D62D@?]k^Am

kAm“x 766= =:<6 >2J36 W:EVDX >2<:?8 C:89E 49@:46D 😕 E96 @77D62D@? 2?5 A:4<:?8 FA D@>6 A:646D D@ >2J36 J@F 5@?VE 92G6 E@ ECJ E@ E9C@H 2 w2:= |2CJ 2E E96 5625=:?6[Q p9@ D2:5 😕 |2J]k^Am

kAm%96 wFCC:42?6D[ 7=FD9 H:E9 42A C@@>[ 5:5 E92E @G6C E96 DF>>6C] (9:=6 |:==6C 92D 366? 😕 2 J6==@H ?@\4@?E24E ;6CD6J E@ DE2CE 42>A[ 96 2?5 t9=6CD 2C6 86EE:?8 E96 492?46 E@ 3F:=5 2 7@F?52E:@? H:E9 E96:C ?6H E62> — 2?5 G:46 G6CD2 — 7C@> E96 DE2CE]k^Am

kAm“%9@D6 2C6 EH@ DE2C\A@H6C A=2J6CD E92E H:== 92G6 2 7F== EC2:?:?8 42>A 2?5 2 =@E @7 G:56@ C625J[ 2?5 F?56CDE2?5:?8 9@H H6 5@ E9:?8D[” $E22= D2:5] “xEVD 2?@E96C 2?:>2= @3G:@FD=J 86EE:?8 @FE 2?5 5@:?8 :E] qFE :EVD 2=H2JD ?:46 E@ 92G6 8@@5 A=2J6CD E@ 4@>6 :?]”k^Am

kAmt9=6CD 8@E 9:D 7:CDE 82>652J H@C< H:E9 r2C@=:?2 2=@?8D:56 p9@ 2?5 y2CG:D 😕 =2DE H66:?FE6D @7 :46 E:>6 H9:=6 7:C:?8 7@FC D9@ED @? 8@2=] w6 2=D@ H2D @? E96 :46 7@C E96 7:CDE E9C66 @7 u=@C:52VD 7@FC E9:C5\A6C:@5 8@2=D]k^Am

kAm“xEVD >@C6 E96 56E2:=D @? E96 82>6[Q 4@249 #@5 qC:?5Vp>@FC D2:5] Q%96 496>:DECJ A2CE[ >2J36 E92E 4@>6D — 46CE2:?=J ?@E @G6C @?6 AC6D62D@? 82>6[ :EVD >:89E E2<6 2 4@FA=6 @7 >@?E9D] pD H:== E96 56E2:=D @7[ ‘~z[ H96C6 2C6 J@F DFAA@D65 E@ 36n’ 2?5 E96 H2J H6 H2?E E9:?8D E@ @A6C2E6]”k^Am

kAmt9=6CD D2:5 E96C6VD ?@ H2J E@ @H 6I24E=J 9@H =@?8 :E H:== E2<6 E@ 3F:=5 496>:DECJ H:E9 ?6H E62>>2E6D] %96 8@@5 ?6HDn %96C6VD 366? E:>6 E@ 86E D6EE=65 =@?8 367@C6 E96 AF4< 5C@AD 😕 E96 ~4E] h C68F=2C\D62D@? @A6?6C 282:?DE }6H y6CD6J]k^Am

kAmQ}@ >2EE6C H92E =:?6 J@FVC6 @? H:E9 E9:D E62>[ J@FVC6 A=2J:?8 H:E9 8@@5 A=2J6CD[Q t9=6CD D2:5] “*@F @H :EVD 8@:?8 E@ 86E DH:E4965 2C@F?5 5FC:?8 E96 J62C] *@F H2?E E@ ECJ E@ 4C62E6 D@>6 8@@5 496>:DECJ @? 2?5 @77 E96 :46 D@ E92E EC2?D:E:@? 42? 92AA6? 😕 E96 E9:C5 A6C:@5 H96? J@FVC6 5@H? 3J EH@ @C H92E6G6C[ E92E :EVD D>@@E9] %92EV== 4@>6 2D H6 >@G6 @? 96C6]”k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! }w{i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^}w{Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^}w{k^2mk^Am


Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.