Carolina Hurricanes · Left wing · Shoots L

Nikolaj Ehlers

Age 30 · 6'0" · 168 lb · Born in Aalborg, DNK

Cap hit

$8.5M

8.2% of $104M cap

Term

5 yrs

Through 2030-31, then UFA

Clause

NMC

Surplus value

—

arrives with the trade tools

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

Goals

0.0% shooting

Assists

0 primary

Points

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

19:24

PP 6:51 · PK 0:00

xGF%

0.0

5v5, -57.2 vs. last yr

Game Score

-0.36

per game, goals above average

Faceoff %

—

Plus/minus

Blocks 1 · Hits 1

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	G	A	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	+/-	GS
Sep 29 vs FLA · OTL 1-0	0	0	2	1	1	19:24	6:51	0:00	—	50	1	0	-0.36
Jun 14 @ VGK · W 3-0	1	0	3	0	0	15:28	2:50	0:00	—	0	2	+1	+0.06
Jun 11 vs VGK · W 4-2	0	3	0	1	0	17:47	4:02	0:00	—	67	0	0	+0.63
Jun 9 @ VGK · W 5-3	1	2	3	1	0	19:09	3:40	0:00	2-0	67	0	+2	+0.67
Jun 6 @ VGK · OTL 5-4	0	0	2	0	0	24:36	1:56	0:00	1-0	0	3	+1	-0.21

GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,034 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%57.2%

94th percentile

Relative xGF%+0.7

58th percentile

HDCF%51.8%

66th percentile

CF%60.6%

99th percentile

Relative CF%+1.1

66th percentile

FF%61.3%

100th percentile

GF%55.2%

76th percentile

CF/6070.8

96th percentile

CA/6046.1

99th percentile

ixG/601.16

68th percentile

Goals above expected+6.1

93rd percentile

IPP64.2%

49th percentile

PDO97.7

26th percentile

OZS%67.1%

89th percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleElite playmaking winger

Trait percentiles vs. NHL wingers · 2025-26

Ehlers is a high-volume shooter and elite playmaker who dominates transition with excellent rush chances and zone entry creation. He plays a perimeter-oriented game and lacks physicality and puck management in tighter spaces.

PlaymakerRush threatHigh-volume shooter

Shooting volume: 90
Playmaking: 95
Zone entries(est.): 89
Forechecking: 12
Physicality: 3
Defensive impact: 61
Puck management: 18
Speed: 87

Where he shoots from

Slot 27% · Mid-range 48% · Perimeter 24%(313 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Elite playmaking at 95th percentile makes him a consistent setup threat
90th percentile shooting volume with 313 unblocked shots keeps opponents honest
89th percentile rush chances convert his speed into dangerous offensive entries

Watch-outs

Minimal physicality at 3rd percentile means he avoids contact instead of winning battles
Puck management at 18th percentile suggests he turns it over in transition situations
Forechecking at 12th percentile limits his ability to force turnovers deep

Similar style: Clayton Keller (UTA), Patrick Kane (CHI)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Where his Game Score comes from

2025-26 · 82 GP · goals above average

Season total +16.9 goals, or +0.21 per game.

Even strength offense: +1.7
Even strength defense: +0.9
Power play: -0.1
Finishing: +6.2
Playmaking: +6.5
Penalties: +1.7
Faceoffs: -0.1

Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

By season

Regular season

Season	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	SOG	TOI/GP	FO%	GS/GP
2026-27	CAR	1	0	0	0	0	2	19:24	—	-0.36
2025-26	CAR	82	26	45	71	+8	207	16:36	—	+0.21
2024-25	WPG	69	24	39	63	+14	174	15:48	—	+0.24
2023-24	WPG	82	25	36	61	+27	233	15:52	—	+0.14
2022-23	WPG	45	12	26	38	-2	132	15:39	—	+0.13

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Age curve

How players at his position age, and where his contract falls on that curve, arrives with the trade tools.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 2

Top speed: 21.3 mph; 72nd pct
20+ mph bursts: 2
Hardest shot: 76.6 mph; 69th pct
Distance: 2.9 mi
OZ time: 41.6%; 50th pct
DZ time: 40.6%