Ehlers good fit with Hurricanes entering playoffs

CHICAGO -- For Nikolaj Ehlers, it’s been a season of adjusting to a lot of new: new team, new location, new climate, new rink, new system, new living arrangements. 

“It’s a lot of small things, but when it’s all new, it’s a lot of stuff that you have to figure out,” said the forward, who signed a six-year, $51 million contract ($8.5 million average annual value) with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 3 after spending his first 10 NHL seasons with the Winnipeg Jets. “It’s what I wanted, so there are no excuses, but I knew it was going to take some time to get comfortable.

“I’ve been getting more and more comfortable. I know the ways to the rink now and things like that. It’s still going to take time. I’m not 100 percent there.”

Perhaps, but on the ice, the 30-year-old has looked right at home. Ehlers had a career-high 71 points (26 goals, 45 assists) in 82 games this season, finishing second on the Hurricanes behind center Sebastian Aho (80 points; 27 goals, 53 assists). He’s brought the extra pop the Hurricanes (53-22-7) needed to finish first in the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference.

Now he’s looking to help them make a splash in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where Carolina will host the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round at Lenovo Center on Saturday (3 pm. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS). 

“I think whenever you can add experience and playoff experience, they know how important the games are, how important every play is,” Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook said. “That’s just another guy to have in our back pocket when the games are really important and meaningful and when all the plays matter so much more.”

Ehlers and the Hurricanes are both looking to reach the playoff pinnacle. Ehlers advanced to the Western Conference Final with the Jets in 2018, but Winnipeg hasn’t gotten past the second round since. The Hurricanes have qualified for the playoffs eight straight seasons, advancing to the Eastern Conference Final three times (2019, 2023 and last season). Carolina won the only Stanley Cup championship in its history in 2006.

“I mean, this is what you work for all year, and these guys have been in the playoffs for the last eight, nine years and done well,” Ehlers said. “I’m excited to get it going, to play the games at home and just go to battle and hopefully make it far.”

Coach Rod Brind’Amour said Ehlers has been everything the Hurricanes expected and more.

“You know that player. Everybody knows his talent, that was obvious and that’s been at the forefront from the get-go,” he said. “The other element to hockey (is), 90 percent of the game you don’t have the puck and he’s been really, really focused on improving that part of his game, and it shows. You can trust him in every situation, so he’s been a real bright spot.”

Ehlers has definitely needed to be focused on playing without the puck in his current role, playing left wing on the third line with center Jordan Staal and right wing Martinook. The trio is usually facing opponents’ top players.

“With the puck, I’m the player I am. Without the puck, it’s just reading,” he said. “It’s an easy game to play because you know where you want the puck to end up, but for me, it’s still making the right reads when we get the puck and where to go. In that department I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable. Reads are a little better, but looking at the other guys who’ve been here for many years, I see how good they read it and it’s going to take time for me, for sure.”

Martinook said Ehlers has adapted well.

“There have been a lot of wild moments this year where you just look at him and, sometimes I get mesmerized and stop skating and playing my game. It’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s been a lot of getting used to reading off him, because usually we want him to have the puck in his hands. Maybe that’s been a small adjustment, but other than that it’s been a lot of fun.”

With the puck, Ehlers has been very much himself. He set a career high in assists and finished three goals shy of the career-high 29 he scored in 2017-18.

Ehlers’ game has become more complete -- just what the Hurricanes need heading into the playoffs.

“Another superstar that’s so fast and can put the puck in the net,” forward Logan Stankoven said. “There are games out there where he just takes over and he’s the best player on the ice, so it’s great to have him on our side and he’s going to be a key contributor for us in the playoffs.”