Nikolaj Ehlers has officially moved on.
The Carolina Hurricanes announced on Thursday that they have signed the Danish forward, previously with the Winnipeg Jets, to a six-year contract valued at $51 million.
The 29-year-old has spent his entire NHL career with the Jets since being drafted ninth overall in 2014.
Last season, he tallied 24 goals and 39 assists across 69 games. Ehlers also contributed five goals and two assists in eight playoff appearances after returning late in the postseason following an injury.
Over his 674-game career, Ehlers ranks seventh among players from his draft class with a total of 515 points, comprising 225 goals and 290 assists.
Despite averaging just 16 minutes and 26 seconds of ice time and often playing on Winnipeg`s second power-play unit, the six-foot, 172-pound forward has reached the 60-point milestone four times in his career.
His previous contract, a six-year deal that began in the 2018-19 season, was worth $42 million in total, resulting in an average annual value (AAV) of $7 million.
Ehlers now heads to Carolina, joining a team that has advanced to the Eastern Conference Final in two of the last three seasons.
Hurricanes General Manager Eric Tulsky commented on the acquisition: “Nikolaj was considered the top free agent available on July 1, and we are thrilled that he has chosen to make Carolina his home. He is a highly skilled winger with exceptional skating and will be a fantastic fit with our forward group.”
