EHLERS WELCOMES CHANGE OF SCENERY

TORONTO, ON — Nikolaj Ehlers is entering the final year of his contract and speculation over his availability started when the Winnipeg Jets were eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche in the first-round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The 28-year-old Dane is set to earn $6.75 million in actual salary in 2024-25, though his cap hit is $6 million. He owns a 10-team no-trade list and word out of Winnipeg is that while he has not requested a trade, he would welcome a move.

According to a well-placed source close to the Jets, Ehlers is not interested in signing a contract extension with the club and that is primarily why Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is exploring his options via the trade market.

It is unclear if Ehlers would entertain a contract extension – which he would not be eligible to sign until July 1, at the earliest – with a new team as part of a change of scenery but doing so would allow the Jets to maximize a return.

The Jets are smack in the middle of their window, and after adding Gabe Vilardi and Alex Iafallo last off-season via trade and then getting stars Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck locked into eight-year extensions, Cheveldayoff is focused on adding to his club and improving the team’s chances at competing for a Stanley Cup.

Cheveldayoff is believed to be scouring the market for a top-four defenceman, like most contenders are, and while he will explore bringing back pending unrestricted free agents Dylan DeMelo and Brenden Dillon, he will comb the trade market and evaluate other pending UFA options.

Beyond the blueline, though, moving Ehlers and not retaining Tyler Toffoli, even though his tenure was short-lived, also puts Winnipeg in a position of need up front and the team will surely be in the market for a goal-scorer.

Teams like the New York Islanders, Nashville Predators, Boston Bruins, Seattle Kraken, New Jersey Devils, Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets are among the teams looking to add a top-six winger and Ehlers is an attractive option.

SLAVIN TALKS UNDERWAY

The Carolina Hurricanes have started contract discussions with Jaccob Slavin and his agent Kurt Overhardt on a new long-term extension.

Slavin, 30, is entering the final year of his contract and while talks are in the beginning stages, he is a priority for the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes could have a retooled blueline next season if they cannot get pending unrestricted free agents Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei locked up to new deals. Both players have expressed their desires to stay in Raleigh, and discussions have also just started on their fronts, but the conversations will need a serious uptick from last summer and the beginning of this season.

“Most of those guys deserve to make more money,” Slavin said of his teammates set to become UFAs during the club’s cleanout day last month. “They’ve all played really, really well in their time here. I hope we can bring them all back, but it’s a bummer (they could move on).”

Carolina is already evaluating its options in the event they cannot get one or both of Pesce or Skjei signed to new deals. One defenceman on their radar is Sean Walker, who is unlikely to return to Colorado after the Avalanche acquired him from the Philadelphia Flyers two days before the trade deadline.

Walker, 29, will draw plenty of interest July 1, as teams like the Dallas Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs, Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks are just four other teams expected to pursue him, in addition to the Canes.

Slavin hopes to ink a new deal with the Hurricanes, that much is clear, as he explained to reporters last month, “it’s going to (have to) be fair for both sides.”

“Obviously, I love it here,” he added. “I don’t want to go anywhere. We’ll see what happens.”

The wheels are in motion.

HERE AND THERE

• The San Jose Sharks are looking to add a veteran top-four defenceman to the roster this summer. Sean Walker, as stated above, is one blueliner they will target, and that illustrates the type of player they’re looking to add on the backend.

• Circling back to Pesce, he will be a player both Nashville and Toronto pursue if he’s available July 1. Clearly, there will be other potential suitors, but the Predators and Maple Leafs will go after him if they can. Remember, Nashville tried to trade for him last summer.

• Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving met with Mitch Marner’s agent Darren Ferris this week. This situation remains status quo, and as I reported three weeks ago, Marner’s position hasn’t changed: he wants to stay in Toronto. It’s still premature to suggest anything concrete, one way or another, but Treliving won’t shy away from trade calls.

• During his end-of-season remarks, Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas seemed to suggest Joel Blomqvist would be inserted as one of the team’s goaltenders next season. I’m told those comments were taken out of context and the Penguins have not closed the door on netminder Alex Nedeljkovic, who can become a UFA July 1. The team continues to have an open dialogue with his agent Rich Evans about a possible return.

• The Los Angeles Kings are taking care of some early housecleaning, as Dennis Bernstein first reported they’ve agreed to a multi-year extension with young forward Akil Thomas. The Kings haven’t started formal discussions with pending RFAs Carl Grundstrom and Blake Lizotte yet – both are arbitration eligible, and those cases usually take more time.

• Also on LA, I’m told the Kings are planning to re-engage in contract talks with pending UFA defenceman Matt Roy as early as this week.

• There has been chatter lately that some teams plan on asking Seattle about Shane Wright’s availability. Ask all they want, but I’m told Seattle GM Ron Francis has no interest in moving him and the plan is to have him push for a fulltime roster spot on the Kraken next season. Wright, who has been battling a lower body injury, could return to Coachella Valley’s lineup Thursday night, but with the team up 3-0 in the AHL’s Western Conference Finals, the Firebirds may hold off until they presumably move on.

• The Martin Necas banter out of Carolina is interesting. The Hurricanes are telling some teams they aren’t ready to engage in trade talks and want to try and sign him, while other clubs are saying they’ve had those discussions. ‘Tis the season.

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