Fantasy Hockey: Hurricanes Add Nikolaj Ehlers

Fantasy Hockey: Hurricanes Add Nikolaj Ehlers

It wasn’t exactly a crazy free agency period. Nikolaj Ehlers signed with Carolina, and he’s probably the only one to sign after July 1st worth talking about in terms of fantasy hockey. Let’s not cheese this intro any longer than we have to and get right into it.

Ehlers, 29, posted 63 points and a +14 rating in 69 games last season for the Jets. I’d actually anticipate his production increases in Carolina despite the weird play style they have. He only averaged 15:47 of ice time last season. He’s been in the range for three straight years, and an increased role is probably a big reason why he’s in Carolina now.

Ehlers will be on the top line with Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis. He’s also a given on the top powerplay unit too. That wasn’t the case in Winnipeg. Because of that, I could see a big boom season coming from Ehlers. Maybe he’s not quite a top 100 play, but it sure feels like he borders on that.

He’s squarely in his prime too. We’re not talking about a guy who got to Carolina too late, like Brent Burns did. There should be plenty of tread still left on the tires.

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If you’re ranking assets on Carolina in terms of fantasy hockey, it’s Aho… then probably a tier of Ehlers, Jarvis, and Andrei Svechnikov. Pick your poison on who you want. Ehlers certainly has value in fantasy. Just make sure you go in with the right expectations. Better than he was in Winnipeg, but not a team carrier for you.

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