All Signs Point to Ehlers Landing in Toronto During Free Agency

The NHL free agency is well and truly open, and with big moves already being made including Brock Boeser resigning with the Canucks, and Eklbad, Marchand, and Bennett all penning long term deals in Florida, the biggest story has to be Mitch Marner’s much anticipated move to Vegas, penning an eight year $12 million deal with the Golden Knights after being traded, leaving Toronto with the cap space and motivation to go an make some big offseason moves, starting with Nikolaj Ehlers.

Ehlers who hit the free agency market today after announcing his departure from Winnipeg is already probably the best available player after a mass re-signing phase to start off the day, and with some big, playoff calibre teams looking to add some more superstar talent at a decent price, Nikolaj Ehlers is the perfect player for Toronto’s current situation. 

After losing star winger Mitch Marner, and missing out on the chance to sign Brad Marchand, Toronto find themselves in a sticky situation in which making a massive swing at Ehlers may be their only option. Trading for former star Matias Maccelli earlier this week means Toronto means business this year when it comes to adding some risky playmakers who could blossom to be great, but could also flop, and adding Ehlers during free agency could be a similar go big or go home move. 

The multiple time 60+ point scorer will definitely be looking for a salary raise this season, potentially looking to ask for around $7-8 million AAV, a salary a team like Toronto could be prepared to offer. Ehlers has proved his scoring abilities are there, and is a solid point scorer, but it is his creativity and puck moving abilities in which Toronto may look to add around their goal scoring machines like Auston Matthews. At a decently high price, Toronto should definitely consider the value Ehlers will bring to the team, and other than spending small amounts on numerous role players, Ehlers has proven it at the top level and in the postseason, and has Toronto written all over him.

With the new Tavares contract, and money to spend, Ehlers being the best option is an easy signing, and they know what they are getting, and could even get more than they bargained for. He is a solid winger who wont have as much as an impact as Marner, but will do everything right, and be a solid asset and team player, a player with drive to win, and a player who isn't bothered about the spotlight, it is a move that makes sense, and is a move that we could see in the next coming days of this year's free agency.