On July 3, 2025, the Carolina Hurricanes announced that they were signing Nikolaj Ehlers, a longtime Winnipeg Jet, to a 6-year deal. The contract will have an $8.5 million AAV attached to it, with the Hurricanes preparing to seize the Metropolitan Division and take it by storm. However, while this signing adds a dynamic weapon to Rod Brind'Amour's arsenal, does it really solve all their dire needs?
Ehlers' Role in Brind'Amour's Lineup
Nikolaj Ehlers was trusted with top-six responsibilities in Winnipeg and will likely assume a top-line role with the Carolina Hurricanes next to Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis. Ehlers is a dynamic playmaker that scored 24 goals and 39 assists for 63 points in 69 games. There is no doubt that the speedy winger will play a dominant role in Carolina's top six and provide instrumental firepower on the letf-wing.
The Hurricanes have always emphasized a youth-powered movement in their lineup, with veterans leading the charge. But with veterans such as Brent Burns, Dimitri Orlov, and Jesper Fast exiting the lineup, GM Eric Tulsky has decided to weaponize his substantial amount of cap space to lure a top six contributor in Nikolaj Ehlers. The Danish forward was regarded as the number-one free agent after Mitch Marner was signed and traded to the Vegas Golden Knights by the Toronto Maple Leafs, less than 24 hours before the free agency extravaganza.
The lack of a second-line center
The Carolina Hurricanes currently have a massive and gaping hole in their top six. It would be a gross understatement to say that the Jesperi Kotkaniemi experiment has been a failure, to say the least. Kotkaniemi, who is currently occupying the second-line center position next to Jackson Blake and Andrei Svechnikov, posted 12 goals, 21 assists, for 33 points in 78 games. The center is currently on year four of an 8-year contract with a $4.82 million AAV.
Kotkaniemi was acquired by Carolina in an offer sheet fiasco where the Hurricanes decided to pursue the centerman after the Montreal Canadiens were fresh off a defeat from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals. Montreal refused to match Carolina's excessive offer sheet, which resulted in the Hurricanes acquiring the centerman, hoping that Kotkaniemi would develop into a proper second-line center. Kotkaniemi's best statistical year was in 2022-2023, when he put up 18 goals, 25 assists, for 43 points in 82 games.
The Kotkaniemi dilemma is part of a penultimate issue where the Hurricanes are missing a clear piece to complete their offense in a second-line center. This isn't necessarily a total critique of Kotkaniemi as a player; the statistics currently argue that his performance doesn't fit the responsibilities and contract of a second-line center; he is instead the prototypical third-line center.
When it comes to roster construction, the Hurricanes are a fortunate team in that they only have one or two missing pieces that holds them back from being a clear competitor compared to their rivals. But if this hole isn't filled by the end of the offseason or by this year's trade deadline, it'll likely be what holds them back from taking that extra step to fulfill their Stanley Cup aspirations.
The Bottom-line
The Ehlers signing clearly makes the Hurricanes a better team; it is without a doubt. To be frank, the Hurricanes have fulfilled a majority of the expectations that they should have for themselves in order to make themselves a true contender. However, Kotkaniemi is still one of two obstacles holding them back.
The second issue is their goaltending. Freddie Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov have been a reliable pairing to keep the team afloat, but they haven't necessarily come in clutch during tough situations. With Andersen continuing to age, as well as injury concerns, and Kochetkov struggling to complete his development, the current tandem raises some questions on if they are capable of leading the Hurricanes in another deep playoff run.
With the Detroit Red Wings trading assets to acquire John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks on the second day of the NHL Draft, it's likely that Tulsky will be riding out Andersen's last year as a Hurricane and preparing to usher in the future of the Hurricane's goaltending. For now, the goalie tandem and the role of second-line center will need to be resolved down the line. But Hurricanes fans should rejoice that they have added another bona fide piece to their playoff tapestry.