Nikolaj Ehlers surpassed Frans Nielsen as the Dane with the most points in an NHL season during the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 shoot-out win by the Winnipeg Jets against the New Jersey Devils last night.
Ehlers goal in the first period was his 59th point of the season, inching him past his idol Nielsen, who notched 58 points for the New York Islanders in the 2013/14 season.
“Naturally, I’m very proud. It’s not just any old player I’ve passed,” Ehlers told TV2 News.
“I’ve looked up to him before I entered the league. He blazed the trail as the first Danish NHL player and he is a player that all the youngsters look up to now.”
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Be the best
Amassing 23 goals and 36 assists so far, the 21-year-old Dane has really burst onto the NHL scene this year as one of the top young wingers in the league.
But despite his personal success, the Jets missed out on the NHL playoffs this season, something that has put a damper on Ehlers’ record glee.
“I want to make the playoffs, that’s the big goal. But I also want to establish myself as one of the best players in the league,” he said.
“Of course, that’s a goal that all young players have when they reach the NHL. But I want to be one of the best, even though the road ahead is tough. Those who are familiar with the league, know there are no easy games out of the 82 we play per season. Now it’s about keeping on working.”
With five games remaining in the NHL regular season, Ehlers still has a chance to add to his newly-acquired Danish record.
Earlier this year, Nielsen reached a milestone that he can rest assured no Dane can ever strip him of when he became the first Dane ever to play in the annual All-Star Game.
