RALEIGH — Nikolaj Ehlers was in need of direction.
Not on the ice or in his career — just the basic life stuff.
After playing 10 seasons with the Winnipeg Jets, signing with the Carolina Hurricanes last summer was a massive change.
Ehlers knew countryman and goaltender Frederik Andersen from their time with the Danish national team. Other than that, everything was new.
"The ride to the rink, where the grocery store is, the guys, the organization, the playing style, all of that is different," said the 30-year-old winger, whose club is taking on the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL's Eastern Conference final. "The guys made it easier for me in the room, and all the outside stuff that comes over time, but I feel great here now.
"I feel comfortable."
That showed on the ice in the regular season following a slow start.
Ehlers, who signed a six-year, US$51-million contract in free agency July 3, was held off the scoresheet in his first five games and didn't find the back of the net until early November before setting career-highs in assists (45) and points (71) to go along with 26 goals.
Then something clicked on a line centred by Carolina captain Jordan Staal and accented by grinding forward Jordan Martinook, as Ehlers finished second on the team in scoring behind Sebastian Aho.
"He's a great player," Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "Threw him with (Staal) just to kind of get him in a different look. I didn't know if it really was gonna translate to anything … took off and had a great year.
"He's got a real good flair. He's that one player for us that's really speedy and (has) just a little different dynamic."
Carolina plays a unique, aggressive style that includes pressuring opponents all over the ice.
Martinook was impressed with how Ehlers, who had two goals and two assists in nine playoff contests this spring heading into Saturday's Game 2 at Lenovo Center against the Canadiens, adapted following a decade in Winnipeg.
"Been unbelievable," Martinook said. "Seamlessly fit into our group, and then on the ice it's just fun to watch him. His skating, his skill, it's cool to be out there with him.
"He's brought an element that we were missing."
Staal said a fine-tuned hockey sense allows Ehlers to be an effective 200-foot player for a roster that swept the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers before facing Montreal for the right to play in the Stanley Cup final.
"Plays smart without the puck as well as with the puck," he said. "Able to create something out of nothing with his offensive abilities. But I think without the puck, he understands the game and understands where you want to play."
The defensive side was something Brind'Amour hadn't counted on when Carolina landed Ehlers.
"His two-way game has been something we didn't anticipate," he said. "But his dynamic offensive play certainly stood out."
Martinook said that while Ehlers doesn't have the biggest frame at six feet and 190 pounds, the No. 9 pick at the 2014 draft can be sneaky physical thanks to his quickness.
"He can see red a little bit," Martinook said. "Not the biggest guy, but he's powerful and can get to places where other guys can't as fast."
Getting to work is also now much less of a challenge.
"I don't need to use the GPS to get to the rink anymore," Ehlers said with a grin. "It's been a great year."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 23, 2026.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
