Nikolaj Ehlers' Choice To Leave Jets For Canes Pays Off: 'I Didn't Want To Be On The Other Side Anymore'
Nkolaj Ehlers wasn't run out of Winnipeg.
The fans didn't turn on him. Neither did the media. The only dark days he really faced during his decade with the Jets were during the month of December, when the sun tends to rarely show up.
But like Mitch Marner, who is rubbing rock salt in the wounds of Leafs fans by reaching the Stanley Cup final in his first year with Vegas, Ehlers has also been reminding Jets fans of what they lost now that he's one win away from reaching the final in his first year with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Indeed, Ehlers won't intimidate opponents with his physicality. At the same time, his willingness to go from a top-line role to playing a heavier game on a shutdown line is a big reason why he - and the team - has been able to find success.
After all, the Hurricanes have been able to spread around the offense during the playoffs, with five players scoring four or more goals.
"Every night, they're either scoring or doing their thing," Brind'Amour said of Ehlers and his linemates. "And it certainly sets us up for being a more deep team when you can spread it around like that."
Kirkell: Sorry, Toronto, Mitch Marner Doesn't Think About You At All
On Sunday night, Mitch Marner delivered a standout performance in a game where his Vegas Golden Knights overcame an early three-goal deficit to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Final. Vegas needed their stars to shine, and Marner shone particularly bright, recording the primary assist on both of the Golden Knights' first two goals to kickstart the comeback.
Taylor Hall, who had been a Hart Trophy winner and a 93-point scorer before coming to Carolina a year ago, has talked about the "learning process" that incoming players have when playing for the Hurricanes. In some cases, like Jake Guentzel, Evgeny Kuznetsov or Mikko Rantanen, coach Brind'Amour's smothering defensive system and penchant for dump-and-hunt hockey can be a culture shock for star players.
In Carolina, talent takes a backseat to work ethic. It doesn't matter if you're paid $8 million or $800,000; every single player has to forecheck, backcheck and deliver bodychecks.
"I think it takes a while for some guys," said Hall, who, after scoring 48 points this season, now leads the team with 13 points in the playoffs. "For some, it's longer than others."
Ehlers is the first to admit that it took time to figure out. But given the option between delivering a hit or receiving one, he jokingly said he'll take the former any day - especially if it means not having to play against the Hurricanes anymore.
"I played against this team for my entire career, and obviously, this past many years, this team has been a really good team, a really hard team to play against," he said. "They play the same way every single shift, and they just lay it on you. I didn't want to be on the other side anymore. So it's been fun to be part of that."
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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 9:42 AM.