Trade Pitch Has Red Wings Acquiring Star $42 Million Forward From Jets

Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers has been the subject of trade rumors and one trade pitch has the Detroit Red Wings acquiring him.

Ehlers is entering the final year of his seven-year $42 million deal and his name has been mentioned on the trade block this summer. The website PuckPedia has a new tool called PuckGM that lets users create their own trades, and one user proposed a deal that would see the Red Wings acquiring Ehlers.

Red Wings get:

• Nikolaj Ehlers

Jets get:

• Jonatan Berggren
• Dmitri Buchelnikov
• 2025 first-round pick
• 2026 second-round pick

The proposed blockbuster deal would see the Red Wings get Ehlers in exchange for two prospects and two draft picks.

Ehlers would immediately add some more scoring to Detroit’s offense. The star forward would be projected to play on the Red Wings’ second line, which would push Vladimir Tarasenko down to the third line to bolster their offense even more. Last season, Ehlers recorded 25 goals and 36 assists for 61 points in 82 games.

Winnipeg, meanwhile, would get assets to help out with their rebuild in a first and second-round draft pick. The Jets would also acquire Jonatan Berggren — who was drafted 33rd overall in the 2018 NHL draft and has skated in 79 NHL games, recording 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points — as the 24-year-old could be a middle-six forward for the Jets.

Dmitri Buchelnikov, meanwhile, was selected 52nd overall by Detroit in the 2022 NHL draft and has yet to sign his entry-level deal. The Russian played in the KHL last season, recording 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points.

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Ehlers Welcomes a Change of Scenery From Jets

Ehlers has spent his entire nine-year NHL career with the Jets after Winnipeg selected him ninth overall in 2014.

However, with Ehlers entering the final year of his deal, he has been the subject of trade rumors, and David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that Ehlers is not interested in an extension and would welcome a trade.

“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,” Pagnotta wrote on June 5. “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.”

Although Ehlers has no plans to sign an extension with the Jets, Winnipeg has still yet to trade him.

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Red Wings Bolstered Offense in Free Agency

Detroit barely missed out on the playoffs last season, and in the offseason, the Red Wings focused on offense.

Detroit’s first big move was re-signing future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane to a one-year extension, $6.5 million deal. The Red Wings then inked two-time Stanley Cup champion forward Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year, $9.5 million deal.

After the additions, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said he feels like Detroit could compete for a playoff spot next season.

“I think we’re in with that group of teams that has a chance to compete for the playoffs,” Yzerman said on July 4. “If we stay healthy, if our goaltending is good and players outplay your expectations, we might get in. Or you might just miss by a point on the last game of the season. That’s the fine line of it all. I look at the roster today and compare it to last year’s group; it’s a little bit different. It might be a little bit better fit as far as roles for players where they sit on the roster today.”

The Red Wings haven’t made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season.

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