Teams that aren't targeting Mitch Marner eyeing $42,000,000 Jets star instead in free agency, per NHL insider

By Jackson Weber

Modified Jun 16, 2025 00:12 GMT

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The Winnipeg Jets have locked up the vast majority of their own players to long-term deals before they could reach free agency over the years.

Just this season, we’ve seen Neal Pionk, Alex Iafallo and Vladislav Namestnikov ink contract extensions as pending UFAs in the final year of their deals. Other core members of the team, including Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey, are locked in for the next three-plus years as well, building a strong foundation in Winnipeg.

However, things could be different with one longtime Jet, as all signs point to Nikolaj Ehlers testing the free-agent market come July 1, providing other teams with a backup plan after Mitch Marner.

Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman shared the latest on Ehlers during a recent episode of "32 Thoughts: The Podcast." NHL Trade Rumors quoted his comments in an article posted on X.

"Like Marner, I'm hearing Ehlers will go to July 1st, and then we'll see," Friedman said. "Nobody is confirming he's given Winnipeg an absolute no, or anything like that, but there's definitely a feeling out there he's going to July 1.

"And he's going to see what's out there. I do wonder about a team that's looking on the wing, says 'alright, we're not in the Marner game, and we don't have a shot at Marner; we're just going right to Ehlers.'"

Ehlers is a pending UFA, having just played out the final season of the seven-year, $42 million contract extension he signed with the Jets in 2017.

The Jets might have talked about trading Ehlers last summer

The writing looks to be on the wall for Nikolaj Ehlers and the Winnipeg Jets.

We’re now learning that this relationship almost ended in a trade last offseason involving the 29-year-old, according to Elliotte Friedman.

NHL Trade Alert shared Friedman’s comments from the recent episode of "32 Thoughts: The Podcast" on X:

"Elliotte mentions that before Carolina traded Necas to Colorado, there was a lot of talk about a Necas for Ehlers trade, but Winnipeg didn’t believe they could get a long-term commitment from Necas, so they decided not to make that trade."

Should Ehlers indeed hit the open market, he’ll be one of the most highly coveted free agents, poised to earn a huge payday. The Winnipeg Jets will need to fill the potential void of his 63 points (24 goals, 39 assists) in 69 games from the 2024-25 season moving forward.