Although it’s already been heavily reported that winger Nikolaj Ehlers has no intention of signing a new contract with the Winnipeg Jets, that won’t change the team’s approach. According to TSN’s John Lu, the Jets are still expected to make a run at Ehlers before he hits the open market.
Specifically, Lu quoted Winnipeg General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff saying that the team will “put our best foot forward” in making their case for Ehlers to stay with the only organization he’s ever known. Still, the team is pausing until Ehlers finishes his run at the IIHF World Championships with Team Denmark, which pulled off a miraculous win against Team Canada earlier today.
There is a slight chance that Ehlers may re-sign with Winnipeg, despite earlier reports this year. He’s arguably the second-best winger on the free agent market this summer behind Mitch Marner, and he may become a rebound candidate for teams that strike out on the former, giving the Jets some additional time.
Other notes from this evening:
- If Max Bultman of The Athletic is correct, the Detroit Red Wings will be on a few key forwards during this year’s free agency period. Bultman believes the Red Wings will take a run at Marner, Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson, and Florida Panthers’ Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand. In all seriousness, even though Detroit has the financial flexibility to pursue any free agent, Bennett is the only player whose age aligns with their timeline, making them tougher to compete against and filling both short- and long-term needs.
- In a long-winded interview with the Los Angeles Kings’ new General Manager, Ken Holland, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun believes the Kings are going ’big game hunting’ under their new leadership. Per a quote from the interview, Holland said, “I plan to be aggressive. Ownership is prepared to go to the cap. The goal is to put a competitive team on the ice and, at the right time, be aggressive to try to make the team better and more exciting. Whether that happens in the next six to seven weeks or next year at the trade deadline or next offseason … but certainly the plan is to be aggressive at the right time.“
Ken Holland will fail miserably as Kings GM, He hasn’t had any success in a really longtime, He’s another Neanderthal who can’t let go.
He was only good with Jimmy D and Jim Nill assessing players to draft AND having no salary cap with Mike Illitch.
He got RNH and Hyman on steal of a deals, traded for Ekholm, drafted Broberg and Holloway who broke out in St Louis. Yeah ok he overpaid Nurse but he’s not some clown people make him out to be
Wilf is back rambling aimlessly. Let him run and enjoy the show.
I wouldn’t re-sign either. He wasn’t being treated as well as his on-ice results suggest he should have been.
Bennet fits the Red Wings time frame but market doesnt?
Marner*
Yeah, a clunky choice of words really muddled the three qualifiers that the author was likely trying to convey. I’d re-write that sentence with two changes:
“Bennett is the only player whose age aligns with their timeline, *makes them tougher to compete against, and *fills both short- and long-term needs.”
This is me assuming Brennan was insinuating that Marner would not make the Red Wings tougher to play against from a physicality standpoint.
I really hope the Panthers find a way to keep Bennett. They need him and he needs them.
Although Ehlers is a LW, I wonder if the Jets go after RW Brock Boeser if Ehlers moves on from them?
This team has too many middling players and not enough difference makers, but spend wisely.
You are describing many teams but feel like it’s the Wings.
I don’t see SY landing anyone important this off-season.
The Red Wings have no identity, just a mishmash of players and a bunch of young guys with no real leadership core.