With each NHL Stanley Cup final point, Hurricanes’ Nikolaj Ehlers proves the Jets wrong

Back on home ice after an emotional Game 4 victory, the Carolina Hurricanes had a moment that needed seizing, and they did so in Game 5. 

The Hurricanes found themselves trailing 1-0 in the first period, but as they’ve done all playoffs long, they didn’t panic and worked their way back into the game.

Jordan Staal, who has scored in all five games of the Stanley Cup final for the first time since Jean Beliveau in 1956, joined Maurice Richard (1951) and Cyclone Taylor (1918) as the four players to do so, will get the praise, but it was the pass that deserves more attention.

That pass came from the stick of Nikolaj Ehlers, the off-season addition of the Hurricanes who expected moments like this in situations like last night. Ehlers went on to add two more assists, another of which was a primary tally on Andre Svechnikov’s second goal of the game. 

Ehlers received a pass and made a quick spin pass to find Svechnikov wide open at the back door. 

The 30-year-old has now recorded back-to-back three-point nights, giving him eight points in five Stanley Cup final games. 

MORE: Jordan Staal has been more than a leader for the Hurricanes in the NHL Stanley Cup final

Ehlers is up to seven goals and 17 points in 17 games in the 2025-26 post-season, ranking third on the team in goals and points. 

“He always seems to find a way to contribute, and that’s a good mark on him,” said coach Rod Brind’Amour.

There are numerous reasons why Ehlers has found success in the playoffs this season, unlike before. He’s playing in a new system that encourages puck possession and speed through the neutral zone, two strengths of Ehlers’ game, but the most important factor is opportunity.

For almost the entirety of his Winnipeg Jets tenure, fans desperately asked any of the coaches in Winnipeg to use Ehlers more, and in more advantageous situations. That never occurred, which is why the Aalborg, DEN, native left the Canadian team for a new opportunity in Carolina. 

Ehlers flew well under the radar in Winnipeg. Because he never posted jaw-dropping 40-goal or 90-point seasons, Ehlers’ value to the Jets was understated. Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele were glued to one another on the top line, and because the Jets were never really able to find players to solidify the second line, Ehlers was left to do all the play-driving.

MORE: 'It's Big Players Showing Up At Big Times': Andrei Svechnikov, Nikolaj Ehlers, Sean Walker, Sebastian Aho, Jordan Staal, Brandon Bussi On Game 5 Win

In addition, many of the Jets coaches during Ehlers’ tenure were defense-minded, placing more value on a shutdown third line that received more ice time than Ehlers’ line. 

This resulted in players like Mason Appleton playing more than Ehlers in a do-or-die playoff game. In Game 6 of the second round last season against the Dallas Stars, the Jets trailed the series 3-2. In Game 6, the Jets lost 2-1 in overtime, with Ehlers recording just 14:48 of ice time. Players like Appleton, Alex Iafallo, Vladislav Namestnikov and Adam Lowry recorded ice times greater than Ehlers.

If Ehlers hadn’t already decided that he needed a change of scenery for a team that valued him more, that game made his decision far easier. 

Now in Carolina, Ehlers is given every opportunity to succeed. Among Hurricanes forwards, Ehlers ranks third in ice time, behind just Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, both of whom kill penalties. 

Frequently, Ehlers is used on both power play units on the flank in his preferred spot. In Winnipeg, Ehlers had to fight to earn top-unit duties, and even then, he never held down that role. 

Ehlers has always had the game for the biggest moments, but he was never handed the opportunity to show it. Coach Brind’Amour and the Hurricanes are giving him that chance, and he’s taken it. He might not win the Conn Smythe Trophy, but if the Hurricanes close out this series, everyone will remember the impact he had. 

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