Nikolaj
Ehlers
L · CAR · Two-way · Elite
- PAL
- 93
- WAR
- 3.9
- Value
- 87
- PTS
- 71
2025-26№ 13 / 615
Nikolaj Ehlers (Carolina Hurricanes) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Nikolaj Ehlers
#27LPlays: Left wing · 1% of faceoffs
Carolina Hurricanes
HEIGHT : 183 cm · WEIGHT : 76 kg · SHOOTS : L
Born : February 13, 1996 · Aalborg, Denmark
Drafted : 2014 · WPG · round 1, pick #9
Contract : $8,500,000 · 2025-26 → 2030-31 · Standard Contract · UFA · Signing bonus $9,000,000NMC / NTC / M-NTC
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | Carolina Hurricanes | 19 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | Carolina Hurricanes | 82 | 26 | 45 | 71 | 14 |
| 2024-25 | Winnipeg Jets | 69 | 24 | 39 | 63 | 17 |
| 2023-24 | Winnipeg Jets | 82 | 25 | 36 | 61 | 29 |
| 2022-23 | Winnipeg Jets | 45 | 12 | 26 | 38 | 11 |
| 2021-22 | Winnipeg Jets | 62 | 28 | 27 | 55 | 20 |
| 2020-21 | Winnipeg Jets | 47 | 21 | 25 | 46 | 15 |
| 2019-20 | Winnipeg Jets | 71 | 25 | 33 | 58 | 30 |
| 2018-19 | Winnipeg Jets | 62 | 21 | 16 | 37 | 15 |
| 2017-18 | Winnipeg Jets | 82 | 29 | 31 | 60 | 26 |
| 2016-17 | Winnipeg Jets | 82 | 25 | 39 | 64 | 38 |
| 2015-16 | Winnipeg Jets | 72 | 15 | 23 | 38 | 21 |
| NHL totals | 775 | 255 | 351 | 606 | 236 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Carolina Hurricanes | 18 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 6 |
| 2024-25 | Winnipeg Jets | 8 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 4 |
| 2023-24 | Winnipeg Jets | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | Winnipeg Jets | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | Winnipeg Jets | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | Winnipeg Jets | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2018-19 | Winnipeg Jets | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | Winnipeg Jets | 15 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 2 |
| Playoff totals | 63 | 17 | 22 | 39 | 16 | |
Honours
- 🏆 Stanley Cuponce · 2025-26
Nikolaj Ehlers: our analysis
2025-26 season: 82 GP, 26 G, 45 A, 71 PTS, +8 +/-, 16:36 TOI. WAR 3.9 (13th of 615) · PAL 93, elite.
In 2025-26, Nikolaj Ehlers, 30, posts a PAL Rating of 93 out of 100 (elite), and his WAR of 3.9 ranks 13th among 615 regulars, among the league's elite.
His strengths: possession (99, among the best in the league), offense (92, among the best in the league) and power play (90, among the best in the league). On the other hand, penalty kill (15, among the weakest in the league) holds him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), his biggest contribution: finishing (+7.0).
A slight dip from 2024-25, when his PAL was 97; his WAR, though, went from 3.1 to 3.9.
Contract-wise, his Value score of 87 (very good contract) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Nikolaj Ehlers's story
Born 14 February 1996 in Aalborg, Ehlers developed his hockey in Switzerland with EHC Biel while his father worked as a coach there. He climbed the club ladder in Biel’s system, appearing with the senior squad during the 2012–13 season while spending much of that year with the club’s under-20 group and taking part in international youth tournaments.
His play in Switzerland attracted North American attention, and in 2013 Halifax selected him in the CHL Import Draft. He made an immediate impact in the QMJHL, piling up over a point per game in his rookie season and collecting several rookie awards. That form propelled him into the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, where Winnipeg took him ninth overall; he signed his entry-level deal with the Jets before returning to juniors for one more highly productive campaign.
Ehlers joined the Jets’ NHL roster in 2015 and gradually established himself as a regular contributor. Early milestones included his first NHL goal in his fourth game and a first career hat-trick in January 2016. Across multiple seasons with Winnipeg he reached new personal highs, negotiated a multi-year extension in 2017, and was frequently deployed on prominent lines, contributing both in the regular season and in playoff runs.
Internationally, Ehlers has represented Denmark at junior and senior levels, appearing at several World Championship tournaments and wearing his national colours in international competition.
In plain terms, his game centres on quickness and puck skill. He skis well, handles the puck with soft hands and looks for the playmaking seam; those attributes let him create scoring chances off the wing and fit into a variety of offensive roles for club and country. Notably, he added a Stanley Cup to his résumé in 2026 with Carolina.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 16:11
- PP TOI/GP
- 3:27
- SH TOI/GP
- 0:00
- Pts/GP
- 0.79
- EV points
- 9
- Hits
- 4
- Blocks
- 5
- Takeaways
- 4
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 59.7 %
- Off. zone starts
- 38.5 %
- Faceoffs
- 66.7 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
65between 44 and 80 (80% range)
- Goals
- 21
- Assists
- 44
- Games
- 81
So far: 15 pts in 19 games. The team has played 19 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.81 pts per game (last season: 0.87).
The projection follows last season's pace. Tested on 2,265 player seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26): average miss of 9 points over 82 games; for players at 0.9 points per game and up, it ran 5 points high on average.
Trend
Stable
- Points per game: 0.74 in 23-24, 0.87 in 25-26
- PAL Rating: 97 → 93
Outlook, age included
→ StableAge 30: prime years
This is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes; one player in five finishes outside the range.
Player ratings, 2025-26
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
OV · OverallConfidence 81 %
91
Star
- SK
- Skating
- 90
- Confidence 73 %
- ST
- Strength
- 53
- Confidence 84 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 80
- Confidence 80 %
- DU
- Durability
- 80
- Confidence 77 %
- CK
- Checking
- 60
- Confidence 84 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 73
- Confidence 63 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 93
- Confidence 84 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- —
- PA
- Passing
- 91
- Confidence 81 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 80
- Confidence 81 %
- DF
- Defense
- 78
- Confidence 78 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 62
- Confidence 14 %
- EX
- Experience
- 89
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating90
- Top speed (35 %)37.1 · 89
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)8.429 · 86
- Distance /60 (20 %)16.4 · 81
- Speed consistency (15 %)36.8 · 94
ST — Strength53
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)3.1 · 63
- Body mass (50 %)-1.832 · 45
EN — Endurance80
- Ice time per game (45 %)15.6 · 78
- Total ice time (20 %)1,310 · 83
- Shift length (15 %)48.3 · 83
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)14.9 · 80
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)2.605 · 79
DU — Durability80
- Share of games played (100 %)0.851 · 80
CK — Checking60
- Hits /60 (70 %)2.159 · 60
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)1.683 · 59
- Season volume (10 %)3.091 · 60
FG — Fighting73
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)0.8 · 73
DI — Discipline93
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)0.085 · 93
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.415 · 87
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.914 · 81
PA — Passing91
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)1.232 · 91
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.673 · 87
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)0.321 · 91
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)6.205 · 89
- Assist consistency (10 %)1.022 · 93
SC — Scoring80
- Goals /60 (25 %)1.181 · 84
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.91 · 77
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)0.89 · 86
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)1.072 · 63
- xG per shot (10 %)0.07 · 42
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)19.7 · 90
DF — Defense78
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)0.018 · 77
- Relative xG against (20 %)-0.063 · 78
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.431 · 85
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)0.035 · 69
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-1.975 · 65
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)55.3 · 88
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)1.668 · 61
PS — Penalty shot62
- Shootouts (60 %)31.2 · 61
- Penalty shots (40 %)26.7 · 76
EX — Experience89
- Career regular-season games (65 %)93
- Career playoff games (25 %)78
- NHL seasons (10 %)84
OV — Overall91
- SC · Scoring (28 %)80
- PA · Passing (22 %)91
- DF · Defense (18 %)78
- SK · Skating (12 %)90
- EN · Endurance (8 %)80
- DI · Discipline (5 %)93
- ST · Strength (4 %)53
- CK · Checking (3 %)60
| Season | OV | SK | SC | DF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 91 | 90 | 80 | 78 |
| 2024-25 | 94 | 91 | 82 | 74 |
| 2023-24 | 86 | 93 | 77 | 71 |
| 2022-23 | 87 | 93 | 80 | 68 |
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2025-26
How we rate →PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against players at the same position (50 = average player), starting from the player's strength, offensive or defensive. Value Rating compares that performance with what the player costs: 50 means paid what the play is worth.
WAR
3.9
wins above replacement
13 of 615
PAL Rating
93/ 100
Performance · Elite
29 of 476 at the position
Value Rating
87/ 100
Very good contract
8.50 M$ · expected PAL 73
ProfileTwo-wayStrong at both ends
- Offense
- 90
- Defense
- 74
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 92
- Creation
- 47
- Shooting
- 73
- Possession
- 99
- Defense
- 57
- Discipline
- 83
- Power play
- 90
- Penalty kill
- 15
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
| Season | Team | WAR | PAL | Value | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | CAR | 3.9 | 93 | 87 | 8.50 M$ |
| 2024-25 | WPG | 3.1 | 97 | 96 | 6.00 M$ |
| 2023-24 | WPG | 2.9 | 77 | 54 | 6.00 M$ |
| 2022-23 | WPG | 1.1 | 87 | 72 | 6.00 M$ |
Hockey IQ, 2025-26
Rankings and method →The quality of the player's decisions with and against the puck at 5-on-5, against regulars at the same position (50 = average). PAL measures output; IQ measures how the player plays.
Overall IQ
53/ 100
Average
better than 53% of forwards, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
10/ 100
Low
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
92/ 100
Elite
takeaways, discipline, own zone
Overall IQ isn't an average of the two scores: it's the player's rank with offense and defense combined, 198 of 424 forwards.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 73
- Shot selection
- 1
- Penalties drawn
- 56
- Puck management
- 42
Defense
- Takeaways
- 62
- Discipline
- 79
- Safe zone exits
- 91
Percentiles: 80 means better than 80% of regulars at the same position. Play without the puck (positioning, coverage) isn't measured: the NHL doesn't publish that data.
| Season | Team | IQ | Off. | Def. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | CAR | 53 | 10 | 92 |
| 2024-25 | WPG | 84 | 73 | 78 |
| 2023-24 | WPG | 52 | 37 | 61 |
| 2022-23 | WPG | 98 | 89 | 98 |
WAR, 2025-26
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
3.9
wins above replacement
2.2 to 5.5 — 90% interval
13 of 615 forwards
+20.6 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- +6.5
- EV defense
- +0.9
- Power play
- +1.1
- Penalty kill
- 0.0
- Shooting
- +7.0
- Penalties
- +1.7
- Average → replacement
- +3.4
In goals.
| Season | Team | GP | WAR | 90% interval | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | CAR | 82 | 3.9 | 2.2 to 5.5 | 13/615 |
| 2024-25 | WPG | 67 | 3.1 | 1.7 to 4.4 | 27/596 |
| 2023-24 | WPG | 82 | 2.9 | 1.9 to 4.0 | 29/608 |
| 2022-23 | WPG | 45 | 1.1 | 0.1 to 2.4 | 129/617 |
Player tracking (NHL EDGE)
League EDGE leaderboards →Speed, shot power, distance covered, time by zone: measured by chips in the puck and shoulder pads. 90th percentile = better than 90% of players.
- Hardest shot
- 137.9 km/h72nd percentileleague avg. 130.1 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 36.9 km/h90th percentileleague avg. 35.2 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 5395th percentileleague avg. 21
- Offensive zone time
- 48.0 %98th percentileleague avg. 43.1 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 79.4 km85th percentileleague avg. 52.2 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 5.12 km71st percentileleague avg. 4.52 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 45.5 %98th percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
- Neutral zone time
- 17.4 %20th percentileleague avg. 16.8 %
- Defensive zone time
- 34.6 %97th percentileleague avg. 40.1 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 4390th percentile | 474th percentile | 9.3 %26th percentile |
| High danger | 752nd percentile | 274th percentile | 28.6 %75th percentile |
| Mid range | 1283rd percentile | 177th percentile | 8.3 %38th percentile |
| Long range | 797th percentile | 092nd percentile | 0.0 %87th percentile |
Shots on goal by zone
2026-2027 regular season. Measured by puck and player tracking chips; the percentile ranks the player within the league.
Game log, 2026-27
CHI
NYI
NSH
WPG
CBJ
BOS
STL
EDM
VAN
CGY
WSH
PHI
MTL
FLANikolaj Ehlers: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Nikolaj Ehlers have in 2026-27?
Nikolaj Ehlers has 4 goals and 15 points (11 assists) in 19 games in 2026-27.
How old is Nikolaj Ehlers?
Nikolaj Ehlers is 30 years old: he was born on February 14, 1996.
How tall is Nikolaj Ehlers, and how much does he weigh?
Nikolaj Ehlers is 6'0" (183 cm) and weighs 168 lb (76 kg).
Where is Nikolaj Ehlers from?
Denmark: Nikolaj Ehlers was born in Aalborg, Denmark.
What team does Nikolaj Ehlers play for?
Nikolaj Ehlers plays for the Carolina Hurricanes in the NHL, at L, wearing number 27.
Is Nikolaj Ehlers injured?
No: Nikolaj Ehlers is not on the latest NHL injury report. This answer is updated throughout the season.
How good is Nikolaj Ehlers?
Nikolaj Ehlers produced 3.9 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025-26, 13th of 615 players at his position in the NHL. His PAL rating is 93 out of 100: elite for his position.
How much does Nikolaj Ehlers make?
Nikolaj Ehlers earns $8.5M for the 2025-26 season. His Value Rating is 87 out of 100 (very good contract): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position.
When does Nikolaj Ehlers's contract end?
Nikolaj Ehlers's contract runs through the 2030-31 season; he will then be an unrestricted free agent. It includes a NMC / NTC / M-NTC clause.
Is Nikolaj Ehlers overpaid?
No, he gives more than he costs. His Value rating is 87 out of 100 (very good contract), where 50 is the output expected for his salary, compared with players at his position.
Is Nikolaj Ehlers a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 13th of 615 players at his position in the NHL in 2025-26. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
Is Nikolaj Ehlers getting better?
No, he is slipping: his PAL rating went from 97 in 2024-25 to 93 in 2025-26 (out of 100, 50 = average player at his position).
How has Nikolaj Ehlers played lately?
Over his last 10 games, Nikolaj Ehlers has 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists).
What are Nikolaj Ehlers's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Nikolaj Ehlers has 775 games, 255 goals, 351 assists and 606 points. His best season: 2025-26, with 71 points in 82 games.
Where was Nikolaj Ehlers drafted?
Nikolaj Ehlers was drafted 9th overall (round 1) by Winnipeg Jets in 2014.
Is Nikolaj Ehlers better at home or on the road?
No real difference: in 2026-27, he averages 0.75 points per game at home (6 in 8 games) and 0.82 on the road (9 in 11 games).
How does Nikolaj Ehlers perform in the playoffs?
In the playoffs, Nikolaj Ehlers has 63 games and 39 points in his career. His pace (0.62 points per game) is lower than his regular-season pace (0.78).
Which player is most similar to Nikolaj Ehlers?
Artemi Panarin: he is the player at his position whose PAL profile (the 0-to-100 dimensions) is closest to his in 2025-26.
Artemi Panarin's page →Is Nikolaj Ehlers a good fantasy pick?
Yes, a solid pick: our projection has him at 65 points in 2026-27, or 0.80 points per game.
Does Nikolaj Ehlers have siblings?
Yes: his brother Sebastian Ehlers (plays ice hockey for the Odense Bulldogs in the AL-Bank Ligaen).
Is Nikolaj Ehlers related to anyone famous?
Yes: Heinz Ehlers (father, became a coach in the Swiss National League A); Søren (Ehlers) (uncle, drafted by the New York Rangers in the 12th round of the 1986 NHL entry draft (never appeared in an NHL game)); Alexander True (cousin, went undrafted into the NHL and plays for Modo Hockey).
What is Nikolaj Ehlers's nationality?
Nikolaj Ehlers is Danish. Internationally: Represented Denmark at junior and senior levels: 2013 World U18 Championship Division I A (led team in scoring), 2014 World U18 Championship Division I A (team went 5–0), 2014 World Junior A Challenge (silver medal, tournament MVP), 2015 World Junior Championship (5 points), made Denmark senior debut at the 2016 World Championship (8th place); 2017 World Championship (12th place); helped secure 2022 Olympic qualification (5 goals, 4 assists in 3 games); played at the 2023 World Championship and was named for the 2025 World Championship.
What awards has Nikolaj Ehlers won?
RDS Cup (QMJHL Rookie of the Year, 2014) ; Michael Bossy Trophy (QMJHL Top Prospect, 2014) ; World Junior A Challenge Most Valuable Player (2014) ; Paul Dumont Trophy (QMJHL Personality of the Year, 2015) ; NHL First Star of the Week (2017) ; NHL Third Star of the Week (week ending 14 March 2021).
How many championships has Nikolaj Ehlers won?
1: Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes (2026).
Where did Nikolaj Ehlers play before turning pro?
Youth and junior development with EHC Biel (Switzerland) then Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) after moving to North America in 2013; played with Halifax from 2013 to 2015..
How many points is Nikolaj Ehlers projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 65 points in 81 games in 2026-27 (44 to 80 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his Carolina Hurricanes teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)