Winnipeg Jets forwards Nikolaj Ehlers and Nino Niederreiter were selected to represent Team Denmark and Switzerland.
The two forwards were among the first six players named to their national teams on Monday for next February’s Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
Ehlers will represent his country of Denmark, while Niederreiter will represent Switzerland.
Ehlers is coming off a near point-per-game season for the Jets, notching 63 points (24G, 39A) in 69 games this year. He added seven points (2G, 5A) in eight postseason appearances in the Jets’ 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs run.
Ehlers, 29, is set to reach unrestricted free agency on July 1st, giving him the chance to settle a new contract either in Winnipeg or with a new team.
The former 2014 ninth overall draft selection of the Winnipeg Jets has played his entire NHL career in Winnipeg. The Danish forward is no stranger to representing his country in international competition, as he has a long resume of international games played.
Ehlers, in international competition, helped Denmark upset Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship quarterfinals, where Denmark finished fourth, their highest ever placement in World Championship competition.
Niederreiter came off an excellent season for the Jets on their third line. He posted 37 points (17G, 20A) in a full 82-game season, his highest games played total since he’s joined the Winnipeg Jets. He also added six points (4G, 2A) in 13 playoff contests as the Jets made it to the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Entering his fourth season with Winnipeg, Niederreiter is 31 games away from reaching 1,000 career games played. He is also 20 points away from reaching 500 points. He’s scored 240 goals and 240 assists over his NHL career. While the 2025-26 season is full of milestones for Niederreiter, donning an Olympic sweater for the second time in his career will add to his international resume.
At 32 years old, Niederreiter has competed in nine IIHF World Championships and has four silver medals to his name. After he was acquired at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, Niederreiter signed a three-year contract extension with the Jets. He is currently on year two of his contract, making $4,000,000 annually.
ITR 47: Then There Was Nothing – Inside The Rink
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