It’s time for another round of NHL rumorus. We’re nearing the March 7th trade deadline and teams will have some interesting calls they’ll have to make on players. Teams that have fallen out of the Stanley Cup Playoff race aren’t the only teams that’ll have to make decisions. Contending clubs may also have to make some moves that could be tough. The teams may be eyeing the post-season. However, they also have to pay attention to their futures.
One team may have an interesting situation is the Winnipeg Jets. This edition of NHL rumours deals with one forward that the team will have to decide on.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Winnipeg Jets Face Decision on Veteran Forward
Rumour: Murat Ates of The Athletic was recently asked about the future of forward Nikolaj Ehlers in a recent mailbag. Ates examined all possible scenarios involving the Danish winger.
Analysis: Ehlers’ future has been a subject of discussion for a number of months on NHL rumours. The 28-year-old is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He carries a $6 million cap hit and has 40 points heading into Tuesday night’s set of games.
It seemed that Ehlers would be on his way out at the beginning of the season. However, head coach Scott Arniel has moved Ehlers to the top power-play unit and given him plenty of ice time. Arniel’s trust in Ehlers is working out to around a point a game pace.
This sort of production has helped Ehlers’ cause when it comes to his next deal. The veteran did tell Ates that he appreciates the chance to be on a winning team. However, it’s still up in the air on what the future holds for the multiple-time 60-point forward.
The Jets are among the contenders in the Western Conference and Ehlers has played in hand in the team’s success. Winnipeg is at an interesting crossroads when it comes with the veteran forward.
What It Means
Ates handicapped what may happen in the coming months in and around the trade deadline. A number of possibilities were present and it seemed the likely outcomes were leaving in free agency or being traded at the deadline.
The Jets’ beat writer said the most-likely outcome is Ehlers walking in free agency at 45-percent. The next most-likely outcome is being traded at the deadline with a 25-percent likelihood.
Some think Winnipeg should explore trading Ehlers at the deadline if there’s interest. There’s always concern about letting a player walk for nothing and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff might be able to get something out of him.
However, it’s not all doom-and-gloom for Jets’ fans that want Ehlers to stick around. Ates put a 25-percent likelihood that he will extend in the off-season. It seems that Arniel has put faith in Ehlers and that faith may lead the veteran to re-sign in Winnipeg.
Ates also said that least-likely outcome is to extend his contract in-season. That’s only at five percent, but an in-season extension is still within the realm of possibility.
Main photo by: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images
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