Nikolaj Ehlers

Ehlers ran into injury troubles during 2021-22 and 2022-23, but he was healthy last year, resulting in him scoring 25 goals and 61 points across 82 contests. Those are fantastic numbers for a player who averaged 15:52 of ice time -- no player recorded more points while logging under 16 minutes per game last year. It would be interesting to see what would happen if the 28-year-old was given a bigger role in this campaign, but that's not something you can count on happening. His past injuries are also something of a concern even if he was able to play through the full campaign last year. Ehlers is an interesting one, because there is that element of risk there due to his health, but there's also the potential for him to make a noteworthy jump in production under the right circumstances. Pencil him in for 50-60 points but make him one of the first forwards you take in that range because of that upside.

Ehlers required sports hernia surgery after getting hurt in the second game of the 2022-23 season. He wasn't the same when he returned, resulting in a year in which he was limited to 12 goals and 26 assists in 45 contests, good for a 9.1 shooting percentage that was his lowest since his rookie year. He's shown the talent to be closer to a point-per-game player, and he may be in a good spot to do that in 2023-24, as he can be a top-liner with Blake Wheeler in New York. It may be optimistic to expect Ehlers to play a full season -- he's missed time in four of the last five campaigns -- but there's still a chance he could be a 30-goal, 70-point winger. Even a little less (25 goals, 60 points) would provide solid value in fantasy.

Ehlers was one of the lone bright spots for Winnipeg a season ago, as he topped the 20-goal mark (28) for a sixth consecutive campaign. He finished the season with 55 points in 62 games and almost certainly would have set a new career high in scoring had a knee sprain not cost him 20 games in the middle of the year. Ehlers is still just 26 years old and his 245 shots on goal a season ago were a new high-water mark, so there's theoretically another step he could take in terms of production if he is able to remain healthy and the Jets improve as a team, which shouldn't be that difficult considering how poorly they played last year.

The Jets' trade of Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic to the Blue Jackets likely benefited Ehlers more than any other player. The 25-year-old Dane matched his career high with 13 power-play points, and he had 21 goals and 46 points in just 47 contests. With a clearly-defined top-six role, Ehlers could be ready for a career year in 2021-22. His 14.2 shooting percentage last year was not exceptionally higher than his established standard, so it's likely he won't see a significant drop-off. He's got a good chance to get back to the 60-point mark, especially if he earns time on the top power-play unit, and playing with either Mark Scheifele or Paul Stastny at even strength should yield solid returns.

Ehlers had yet another 20-goal campaign in 2019-20, his fourth straight season reaching that threshold. Were it not for the shortened campaign, the playmaking winger almost certainly would have reached the 60-point mark for the third time in his career. If there's a knock on the 23-year-old Dane's fantasy value, it's his lack of production with the man advantage, as he registered a mere five power-play points while averaging 1:20 of power-play ice time with the No. 2 unit last year. With Paul Stastny rejoining the Jets this offseason, Ehlers should be capable of once again producing near the .80 points per game level now that he has a quality center to anchor the second line.

An upper-body injury cost Ehlers 20 games last season and as a result, he recorded his lowest point total (37) in his four-year NHL career. Still, the 2014 ninth overall selection was able to top the 20-goal mark for a third straight year. A spot on the second line with Patrik Laine will be up for grabs during training camp, one which Ehlers should have the inside track on. If he can cement himself as a reliable top-six option and can stay off injured reserve, the Dane has the playmaking ability to get back to being a 60-point producer and top-end fantasy option in 2019-20.

Entering his fourth season in the league, perhaps Ehlers most significant trait has been his consistency -- something that sometimes gets undervalued in fantasy contests. In each of the previous two campaigns, the puck-moving winger has played in all 82 games and hit both the 25-goal and 60-point thresholds -- leaving little reason to doubt he can repeat those feats again in 2018-19. The Dane's ability to find the back of the net often gets overlooked considering he is playing on a line with an elite-level sniper in Patrick Laine. Although more often on the second unit, Ehlers also is a factor on the power play, where he tallied seven goals and six helpers while averaging 2:02 of ice time last year.

There was no sophomore slump for Ehlers this past season, as he blew his 38-point rookie total out of the water by amassing 25 goals and 39 assists. The fleet-footed 21-year-old seems to have found a home on the left side of the Jets’ top line alongside Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. In a testament to his superb conditioning and utility, Ehlers played in all 82 games and averaged 17:29 of ice time -- including 2:37 with the man advantage. He also ranked third on the team in shots on goal with 204 to complement a steady 12.3 percent conversion rate. The ninth overall pick from 2014 is a dual threat in the sense that he can both score and set up goals with aplomb, and the Jets benefit from his versatility. Crossing the 30-goal and 70-point thresholds is well within the realm of possibility for the Dane as he attempts to steer his team toward its first-ever division championship -- and possibly beyond.

Ehlers may not have been a Calder Trophy nominee, but he still had a solid rookie campaign that has Winnipeg looking toward the future. After dropping 15 goals and 23 assists last year, the 20-year-old will look to avoid a sophomore slump. Secured on the top line and hungry for 20-plus tallies, the ninth overall pick from 2014 makes for a dynamic wing combination with Blake Wheeler on the opposite side. Ehlers has a very bright future with the Jets and already has dynasty owners hungry for bigger things. The winger may not have a full-on breakout this year, but he should still continue getting better, rewarding fantasy owners who gamble on his upside.

If you don't count Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, Ehlers is the best prospect in all of hockey. With his explosive speed and outstanding scoring ability, Ehlers has lit up the QMJHL for two seasons in a row, racking up consecutive 100-plus-point campaigns. The former first-round pick has yet to make his NHL debut, but it’s possible he will get the chance to do so in 2015-16. However, fantasy owners shouldn’t depend on him to carry much fantasy value this season. Ehlers is only 19 years old, and the last thing the Jets want to do is rush him into NHL action before he’s ready. Although he may not have much immediate fantasy value, he's an extremely gifted prospect who represents an outstanding foundational piece for owners in dynasty leagues. Ehlers has the potential to be a star of the league in the future, but fantasy owners will need to be patient with his development.

Ehlers lit up the QMJHL for 104 points in 63 games last season, winning Rookie of the Year honors in the league while often outperforming Halifax teammate and Lightning top prospect Jonathan Drouin. The performance rocketed him up the board at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, with the Jets more than satisfied to select him at ninth overall. The 18-year-old’s calling card is his explosive speed, and he could slot in as an annual top scorer on the wing once he adds a little more bulk to his slight 5-foot-11, 165-pound frame. Since the 2013-14 campaign marked Ehlers’ first full season in North America, expect the organization to proceed slowly with the Danish dynamo, whose ultimate destination for the upcoming season should be determined during training camp. While he’s unlikely to claim an NHL roster spot this fall and thus provide limited single-season value, Ehlers represents a salivating foundational piece for those in dynasty leagues.