Jets’ Nikolaj Ehlers Becomes Highest-Scoring Danish Player in NHL History

Winnipeg Jets’ forward Nikolaj Ehlers now stands alone at the top of the scoring table for Danish-born NHL players.

Ehlers, born in Aalborg, accomplished the feat by recording his 474th-career point on an empty-net goal in the Jets’ 7-4 Sunday afternoon win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Ehlers, who also had an assist in the game, topped Frans Nielsen for the all-time lead amongst Danes. Nielsen — a centre born in Herning and the first Dane to play in the NHL — suited up for the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings between 2006-07 and 2020-21 and needed 925-career games to record 473 points (167 goals, 306 assists.) Ehlers only needed 617 games to tie and beat the mark; he has 209 goals and 265 assists since the Jets drafted him ninth overall in 2014.

Ehlers has been excellent this season for his league-leading 11-1-0 squad, with eight goals and nine assists for 17 points to sit second in team scoring.

At only 28 years old, Ehlers will have plenty of time to build on his record. Whether that will be for the Jets or some other team is up in the air: he is in the final year of his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer if he doesn’t sign a new deal.