Nikolaj Ehlers just wanted a fresh start. After spending his entire career with the Winnipeg Jets, the star forward signed a six-year, $51-million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.

There was nothing the Winnipeg Jets could say or do to ensure Nikolaj Ehlers remained in Navy blue for life. “(My leaving Winnipeg) was inevitable,” Ehlers said on a Saturday morning Zoom call. “I told (Jets management),

The long wait for Nikolaj Ehlers’ free agent decision is over. Ehlers decided to sign with the Carolina Hurricanes, taking the top player available off the market more than 72 hours since the NHL’s signing period began.