Jets' Nikolaj Ehlers Continues To Grow His Game And Add New Elements

Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers' game has continuously evolved, and the trust head coach Scott Arniel demonstrated yesterday was a testament to his growth.

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Throughout his NHL career, Ehlers has struggled to gain the full trust of his head coaches. Many of his coaches have avoided using him on the top power play unit and in high-leverage scenarios. Last night, against the Colorado Avalanche, Ehlers found himself in an unfamiliar scenario but thrived.

While attempting to slow down Nathan MacKinnon, Arniel elected to throw Ehlers on a shutdown line with captain Adam Lowry. The move paid off, with Ehlers scoring twice, including his second goal of the game with the Avalanche's goalie pulled.

"I loved it," said Ehlers. "I think you can see that I enjoyed that challenge and I tried to do my best not to give up anything."

The 28-year-old played 16:28 at 5-on-5 and the Jets were the far better team with him on the ice. The Jets outscored, outshot and generated more high-danger chances than the Avalanche.

"It's intriguing now. It's got me thinking. I liked a lot of what I saw," said Arniel.

Ehlers' ice time is tied for the lowest of his career but the minutes he has been playing have been more impactful. He's playing more on the power play and now has instilled the trust to play heavier minutes in high-leverage situations.

If his game continues to round out he can be a difference maker in the playoffs.

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