The New York Rangers and GM Chris Drury will have to consider adding top-six winger Nikolaj Ehlers in free agency. With the absence of Pavel Buchnevich, the team is missing the dynamic scoring once seen on Madison Square Garden ice.![Nikolaj Ehlers]()
During free agency, the New York Rangers will have to be bold and consider adding pending UFA of the Winnipeg Jets, Nikolaj Ehlers.
With the absence of Pavel Buchnevich in the lineup, going on four years now, the team is reeling, as we have never recovered from the trade. Ehlers, 29, has spent his entire career in Winnipeg, but could seek more money on the market instead from his draft team, and Kevin Cheveldayoff.
Evolving Hockey projects Ehlers' next contract could be a total of $8.88 million AAV over several years.
It may seem like a tough pill to swallow, but as long as the team is okay with moving players like Chris Kreider ($6.5 million AAV), they could find a way to make the money work.
Let's be realistic in this scenario, Ehlers would be easier to lure here than someone like Marner, who will have a bidding war landing on his doorstep.
Ehler scored a total of 63 points (24 goals, 39 assists) in 69 games with the Jets this season, and his analytics aren't so bad either:
His underlying numbers are very solid, and here's what he's done the last three seasons via Evolving-Hockey.
2024-25: 63.81 GF% | 53.84 CF% | 55.41 xGF%
2023-24: 64.92 GF% | 55.27 CF% | 55.06 xGF%
2022-23: 56.02 GF% | 56.32 CF% | 55.79 xGF%
2024-25: 63.81 GF% | 53.84 CF% | 55.41 xGF%
2023-24: 64.92 GF% | 55.27 CF% | 55.06 xGF%
2022-23: 56.02 GF% | 56.32 CF% | 55.79 xGF%
He's served as a first-line winger in Winnipeg, but played mainly with third-line ice time at 16:26 TOI per game. An efficient scorer.
Adding Ehlers to the mix would bring back qualities Buchnevich took with him when he left. He's able to control the game and possession, and create plays.
He'd be a great insurance policy, should the team move on from wingers like Artemi Panarin, Alexis Lafreniere, or Gabe Perreault.
Ehlers is a very strong skater, and one of the league's fastest skaters at that. This past season he was in the 94th percentile for top speed, the 91st percentile for 22+ mile per hour bursts, and the 85th percentile for 20 to 22 mile per hour bursts via the NHL's EDGE analytics.
He could add to the Rangers forecheck, as someone who can do it all. Skate quickly, control possession, and drive play in the offensive zone, all the while doing this with third-line minutes.
The team needs to decide whether or not Ehlers is worth pursuing, with a possibly $8.88 million AAV paycheck as a possibility. It may be worth it if you can shed cap space beforehand.
