There is no hotter name amongst NHL owners than Evander Kane. It seems every team is inquiring about the possibility of trading for the physical forward.
However, the Winnipeg Jets are waiting, just waiting, for that one deal that blows their mind. One thing is certain though, they need to trade Kane, because his replacement is already waiting for his chance to shine.
Kane, who is under team control through the 2017 season, badly wants out of Winnipeg, and the team might as well ship him out of town. While they should expect a decent haul for Kane, losing him won’t be as much of a dent as some would think.
The main reason for this is the play of stud prospect Nikolaj Ehlers. Ehlers is lighting up the junior hockey ranks. He has scored 67 points in 33 games for the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL.
He was the star of the Danish National Team during the under-20 tournament, and might be the most exciting prospect in hockey.
“He is a very special player,” Team Denmark head coach Olaf Eller says of Ehlers. “He has tremendous speed. He has a great view of the game, so he sees the ice and game situations very well. Even when he scores five goals, he’s able to shoot the puck when that’s the right decision and pass the puck when that’s the right decision.”
While it’s impossible to predict the play of such a young prospect, (Ehlers is only 19) but the ceiling for Ehlers is sky-high. With Winnipeg barely hanging on to a wild card spot, a slight rebuild might be in order.
While trading Kane might not help the team right now, it could very help them in the future.