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Nikolaj Ehlers

#27 · Left wing · Carolina Hurricanes

Born Feb 14, 1996 in Aalborg, DNK (age 30) · 6'0", 168 lb · Shoots left · Drafted 9th overall in 2014 by WPG (round 1)

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Stanley Cup NHL Champion 2025-26

Compare with a similar player

The forwards closest to him in points in 2024-25. Pick one to see the two side by side, or choose someone else.

Macklin Celebrini SJS · 63 P in 70 GP Dylan Holloway STL · 63 P in 77 GP Matvei Michkov PHI · 63 P in 80 GP Nick Schmaltz UTA · 63 P in 82 GP Ryan Donato CHI · 62 P in 80 GP

Career

Regular season games only. Pick a season to see its game log below. Cap hit is what he counted against the salary cap that season, where it is known.

02040602015-16: 38 points3815-162016-17: 64 points6416-172017-18: 60 points6017-182018-19: 37 points3718-192019-20: 58 points5819-202020-21: 46 points4620-212021-22: 55 points5521-222022-23: 38 points3822-232023-24: 61 points6123-242024-25: 63 points6324-252025-26: 71 points7125-262026-27: 3 points326-27

Points by season. The darker bar is the season shown below.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Cap hit
2015-16 WPG 72 15 23 38 3 21 167 29 0.53 $894K
2016-17 WPG 82 25 39 64 1 38 204 43 0.78 $894K
2017-18 WPG 82 29 31 60 14 26 231 39 0.73 $894K
2018-19 WPG 62 21 16 37 2 15 158 27 0.60 $6M
2019-20 WPG 71 25 33 58 14 30 203 36 0.82 $6M
2020-21 WPG 47 21 25 46 15 15 148 26 0.98 $6M
2021-22 WPG 62 28 27 55 18 20 245 32 0.89 $6M
2022-23 WPG 45 12 26 38 -2 11 132 36 0.84 $6M
2023-24 WPG 82 25 36 61 27 29 233 30 0.74 $6M
2024-25 WPG 69 24 39 63 14 17 174 38 0.91 $6M
2025-26 CAR 82 26 45 71 8 14 207 21 0.87 $8.5M
2026-27 CAR 7 0 3 3 -2 0 15 3 0.43 $8.5M
12 seasons Career 763 251 343 594 112 236 2117 360 0.78

Playoffs

Playoff games only. Pick a season to see that year's bracket.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP
2017-18 WPG 15 0 7 7 4 2 26 7 0.47
2018-19 WPG 6 0 0 0 -2 0 16 2 0.00
2019-20 WPG 4 2 0 2 -2 2 14 8 0.50
2020-21 WPG 6 2 1 3 -5 2 17 12 0.50
2022-23 WPG 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
2023-24 WPG 5 0 2 2 -4 0 14 11 0.40
2024-25 WPG 8 5 2 7 1 4 31 12 0.88
2025-26 CAR 18 8 10 18 9 6 39 14 1.00
8 seasons Playoffs 63 17 22 39 1 16 157 66 0.62

2024-25 season totals

GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Shooting % Avg TOI
69 24 39 63 14 17 174 38 0.91 13.8 15:48

Contract

$6MCap hitends in 2025, then UFA
$95KCap dollars per point63 points in 69 games
$458KCap dollars per goal above replacement13.1 goals above replacement
$10.9MWorth at the going ratewhat teams paid for a season like his
+$4.9MValueworth minus cap hit; below zero is overpaid

His cap hit for the whole season, set against what he did in the regular season. Lower is better value. In a season still being played the cost per point starts high and falls as the games add up. Value is coloured by where it ranks among the 698 ranked skaters whose contract is known. How value is worked out.

The contract

Signed by the Winnipeg Jets on Oct 4, 2017, as an extension of the contract he was on: 7 years and $42M, beginning in 2018-19. It runs through 2024-25, so this is its last season, after which he is an unrestricted free agent.

Season Cap hit Base salary Signing bonus Performance bonuses Paid in all Clause
2018-19 $6M $6.25M $0 $6.25M
2019-20 $6M $6.5M $0 $6.5M
2020-21 $6M $4.75M $0 $4.75M
2021-22 $6M $6.5M $0 $6.5M
2022-23 $6M $4.75M $0 $4.75M M-NTC
2023-24 $6M $6.5M $0 $6.5M M-NTC
2024-25 $6M $6.75M $0 $6.75M M-NTC

Each season of the contract, with this one marked. The cap hit is the same every year; what he is paid is not. The pay is as written when the contract was recorded in October 2024, so a later change, such as the rise in the lowest salary for 2026-27, is not shown.

Contracts he has signed

Signed Signed by Kind Seasons Years In all Cap hit
Jul 3, 2025 Carolina Hurricanes New contract 2025-26 to 2030-31 6 $51M $8.5M
Oct 4, 2017 Winnipeg Jets Extension 2018-19 to 2024-25 7 $42M $6M
Sep 7, 2014 Winnipeg Jets Entry-level 2015-16 to 2017-18 signed for 2014-15, slid 3 $4.875M $894K

Every contract on record for him, newest first, with the team that signed him to it and the day it was signed. The one covering 2024-25 is marked. An extension is signed while the contract before it is still running, often a year ahead. A row with no team or date is a contract known only by its cap hit, most often one signed since October 2024.

2024-25 playoff analytics

Regular season Playoffs

Rating

+1.3Goals above replacementsix goals are worth about one win
+0.2Wins above replacementgoals above replacement divided by six
+0.9Goals above averagethe five parts below added up
Even-strength offence+0.2Even-strength defence+0.2Power play+0.2Penalty kill0.0Penalties+0.3

The goals he added to his team's goal difference, compared with a spare-part player given the same ice time. Each part is measured against the league, so zero is an average skater. A full season is about two-thirds the player and one-third chance. A playoff run is too short to rank anyone on.

0510152015-162017-182019-202021-222023-242025-26Goals above replacementGoals above replacement, by season

On the ice

What happened at five-on-five while he was on the ice. What these numbers mean

53.4Corsi for %103 attempts for, 90 against
+3.7CF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
48.9Expected goals for %3.5 expected for, 3.7 against
+7.7xGF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
53.7Fenwick for %unblocked attempts
33.3Goals for %2 for, 4 against
94.0PDO4.5% shooting + 89.5% saves
39Attempts takenhis own shot attempts

These are left plain: he has not been on the ice enough to be ranked. That takes at least 200 shot attempts with him out there, about six or seven games, and a quarter of what the busiest skater has. Over a game or two these numbers are mostly chance.

Who he played with

Forward lineGPTimeCF%xGF%Goals
Vladislav Namestnikov · Nikolaj Ehlers · Cole Perfetti653:2854.946.50-1
Adam Lowry · Nikolaj Ehlers · Cole Perfetti211:0969.679.40-1
Adam Lowry · Nikolaj Ehlers · Gabriel Vilardi17:5955.650.30-0
Vladislav Namestnikov · Nikolaj Ehlers · Alex Iafallo14:5715.416.50-0

The lines he spent the most time in at five-on-five, with the team's share of the shot attempts and expected goals, and the goals for and against, while they were out. The two shares are coloured as above, against the league's lines that played a fair amount together. Hover over one for its percentile.

Chances and finishing

Expected goals adds up how likely each of his shots was to go in, judged by where it came from, what kind of shot it was and whether it was a rebound. All situations, leaving out shots at an empty net.

4Goalsnot counting empty-netters
3.6Expected goalsfrom 48 unblocked attempts
+0.4Goals above expectedgoals minus expected goals
Chances created 1.54 expected goals per 60 minutes99th
Shot quality 7.4% chance per attempt45th
Finishing +0.4 goals above expected60thOne season of finishing is mostly luck.

Each bar shows the share of forwards he is ahead of, among the 83 who played at least a quarter as much as the busiest in these playoffs.

01234Goals 4Expected 3.6

His goals and his expected goals as the season went on. When the goals line pulls away above, he is scoring more than his chances were worth; below, less.

Where he shot from

Every attempt he took in these playoffs, in all situations, attacking the net on the right. There is a dot for each attempt, bigger for a better chance. "Show as heat map" shades the ice by where the attempts came from. Click a goal for its details.

Game log

Date Opponent Result G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits TOI
Apr 12, 2025 @ CHI W 5-4 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 09:01
Apr 10, 2025 @ DAL W 4-0 0 0 0 0 7 2 0 13:12
Apr 3, 2025 @ VGK W 4-0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 12:35
Apr 1, 2025 @ LAK L 1-4 0 0 0 -1 0 2 1 15:24
Mar 30, 2025 vs VAN W 3-1 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 16:57
Mar 28, 2025 vs NJD W 4-0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 14:20
Mar 25, 2025 vs WSH W 3-2 (OT) 1 0 1 1 0 3 2 17:53
Mar 23, 2025 vs BUF L 3-5 1 0 1 -2 0 4 2 18:58
Mar 20, 2025 @ EDM W 4-3 (OT) 0 1 1 -1 0 1 0 15:45
Mar 18, 2025 @ VAN L 2-6 1 0 1 0 0 4 1 18:57
Mar 16, 2025 @ SEA W 3-2 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 15:03
Mar 14, 2025 vs DAL W 4-1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 15:22
Mar 11, 2025 vs NYR W 2-1 0 1 1 1 2 2 0 15:05
Mar 9, 2025 @ CAR L 2-4 0 0 0 -1 0 2 1 15:19
Mar 7, 2025 @ NJD W 6-1 1 2 3 1 0 4 1 16:09
Mar 6, 2025 @ PHI W 4-1 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 15:27
Mar 4, 2025 @ NYI L 2-3 1 0 1 0 0 7 0 18:08
Mar 1, 2025 vs PHI L 1-2 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 17:31
Feb 27, 2025 @ NSH L 1-2 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 17:57
Feb 26, 2025 @ OTT W 4-1 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 16:21
Feb 24, 2025 vs SJS W 2-1 (OT) 0 1 1 2 2 1 0 17:04
Feb 22, 2025 @ STL W 4-3 (SO) 1 0 1 2 0 1 0 16:38
Feb 7, 2025 vs NYI W 4-3 1 0 1 1 0 3 1 17:50
Feb 4, 2025 vs CAR W 3-0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 15:13
Feb 1, 2025 @ WSH W 5-4 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 19:06
Jan 30, 2025 @ BOS W 6-2 1 1 2 0 0 3 0 16:50
Jan 28, 2025 @ MTL W 4-1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 16:08
Jan 26, 2025 vs CGY W 5-2 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 13:54
Jan 24, 2025 vs UTA W 5-2 1 2 3 3 0 4 2 14:56
Jan 22, 2025 @ COL W 3-2 (OT) 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 16:29
Jan 20, 2025 @ UTA L 2-5 0 2 2 1 0 2 0 14:35
Jan 18, 2025 vs CGY L 1-3 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 17:38
Jan 16, 2025 vs SEA W 2-1 0 1 1 1 0 6 0 15:26
Jan 14, 2025 vs VAN W 6-1 0 1 1 -1 0 2 2 14:44
Jan 11, 2025 vs COL W 3-0 2 0 2 2 0 3 3 17:02
Jan 10, 2025 vs LAK L 1-2 (OT) 0 0 0 -1 0 1 2 15:21
Jan 7, 2025 vs NSH W 5-2 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 13:38
Jan 4, 2025 vs DET L 2-4 1 0 1 0 0 2 1 19:03
Jan 2, 2025 vs ANA L 3-4 (OT) 0 0 0 -2 0 2 1 19:41
Dec 31, 2024 @ COL L 2-5 0 0 0 -2 0 2 4 16:09
Dec 30, 2024 vs NSH W 3-0 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 16:06
Dec 28, 2024 vs OTT W 4-2 1 2 3 2 0 6 0 14:20
Dec 23, 2024 @ TOR W 5-2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 12:55
Dec 21, 2024 vs MIN W 5-0 1 0 1 1 2 3 0 13:39
Dec 18, 2024 @ ANA L 2-3 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 16:51
Nov 29, 2024 @ VGK L 3-4 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 06:23
Nov 27, 2024 @ LAK L 1-4 0 1 1 -3 0 1 0 16:57
Nov 25, 2024 @ MIN W 4-1 0 0 0 -1 0 2 0 14:32
Nov 23, 2024 @ NSH L 1-4 0 0 0 -1 0 4 2 14:30
Nov 22, 2024 @ PIT W 4-1 0 1 1 1 0 2 0 15:16
Nov 19, 2024 vs FLA W 6-3 0 2 2 1 0 2 0 18:34
Nov 16, 2024 @ FLA L 0-5 0 0 0 -2 0 5 0 16:04
Nov 14, 2024 @ TBL L 1-4 0 0 0 -2 0 1 1 18:36
Nov 12, 2024 @ NYR W 6-3 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 15:45
Nov 9, 2024 vs DAL W 4-1 1 0 1 1 0 3 0 16:20
Nov 7, 2024 vs COL W 1-0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 15:29
Nov 5, 2024 vs UTA W 3-0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 14:53
Nov 3, 2024 vs TBL W 7-4 1 1 2 1 0 3 1 14:06
Nov 1, 2024 @ CBJ W 6-2 3 1 4 3 0 5 0 17:19
Oct 30, 2024 @ DET W 6-2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 17:05
Oct 28, 2024 vs TOR L 4-6 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 17:07
Oct 26, 2024 @ CGY W 5-3 1 0 1 0 2 5 0 16:01
Oct 24, 2024 @ SEA W 4-3 (OT) 1 0 1 1 0 3 1 17:11
Oct 22, 2024 @ STL W 3-2 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 17:26
Oct 20, 2024 vs PIT W 6-3 0 2 2 1 0 3 0 12:57
Oct 18, 2024 vs SJS W 8-3 2 1 3 3 0 5 1 15:54
Oct 13, 2024 vs MIN W 2-1 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 14:16
Oct 11, 2024 vs CHI W 2-1 (OT) 0 1 1 1 0 3 0 16:38
Oct 9, 2024 @ EDM W 6-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 13:52