Nikolaj Ehlers

Nikolaj Ehlers (born 14 February 1996) is a Danish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL) and was selected by the Jets in the first round, ninth overall, of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

Junior
Ehlers played youth and junior hockey in Switzerland within the EHC Biel organization. He made his National League A debut at age 16 (and was thus the youngest player in the league at the time), playing with the senior EHC Biel squad during the 2012-13 NLA season, one which he predominantly spent playing with the U20 team.

After being drafted sixth overall by the Halifax Mooseheads in the 2013 CHL Import Draft, Ehlers joined the team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for the 2013-14 season. Following a strong start to the season, he received a top-25 (number 22) mid-term ranking amongst North American skaters for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He was picked 9th overall by the Winnipeg Jets.

On 2 September 2014, the Jets announced that they had signed Ehlers to a three-year entry level contract. Ehlers was returned to junior for a second season with the Mooseheads for the 2014-15 season. Ehlers finished third in QMJHL regular season scoring in posting back-to-back 100 point seasons. Ehlers was leading the QMJHL in playoff scoring upon elimination with 31 points in just 14 games.

Professional
On April 22nd 2015, Ehlers was recalled to the Winnipeg Jets post-season run which ended the same day. Ehlers returned to the Jets training camp for the 2015-16 season and started the regular season with the team, playing in his first NHL game on 8 October 2015 against the Boston Bruins. He scored his first NHL goal against the New York Rangers at the Madison Square Garden on 13 October 2015. He scored his first NHL hat-trick on 26 January 2016 against the Arizona Coyotes in Winnipeg.

International play
Internationally, Ehlers has played for the Danish U18 National Team at the 2013 IIHF World U18 Championship Division I tournament and the U20 national team at the Division I-A grouping of the 2014 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship. He largely contributed to helping Denmark gain promotion in each tournament.

Family
His father, Heinz Ehlers, played professionally in Europe for over 20 years, enjoying long stints most notably in the Swedish Hockey League and Deutsche Eishockey Liga, and is currently the head coach of the National League A team, Lausanne HC. Sebastian Ehlers, Nikolaj's elder brother by three years, is presently playing for Aalborg Pirates in the top Danish league, the AL-Bank Ligaen. He also has a younger sister, Caroline.