Nik Ehlers has always been one of his harshest critics.

The speedy Winnipeg Jets winger has never had an issue with accountability and his combination of quick wit and self-deprecating humour has come in handy at times during the first four years of his NHL career.

This past summer was far too long for Ehlers’ liking, with the Jets making a quick exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs when they were dispatched in six games by the St. Louis Blues, who ended up holding a parade in June.

But with some additional time on his hands, Ehlers tried to use the summer vacation wisely – watching every single shift from last season.

This wasn’t your typical binge-watching session, though. For Ehlers, there was a method to his madness.

“I do it during the season, maybe not every game but I do watch most of the games, but this was the first time where I literally watched all 62 games in the summer,” Ehlers said during a one-on-one interview following an informal skate with the Jets. “It’s not like I use six hours on my iPad and watch every single game. At night before bed, I would watch one or two games and go through them.

“You learn something every year, not just on the ice but off the ice too, to be a professional. You figure out what works for you – and I wanted to try something different. It was just a matter of getting through all of those things that I wrote down and (apply them) out on the ice. I hope it helps me a little.”

When it came to discussing the specifics of his mission through video, Ehlers wasn’t exactly forthcoming, but he wasn’t trying to be coy either.

“I started writing down all of the small things and there is a long list,” said Ehlers. “For example, no circles. Stop and start instead. How to go in with your stick on the forecheck, how to stop when you lose the puck and to stay on the puck. All of these small, obvious things but when you look at it and you see it more and more and you think about what you can do to make things better.”

Ehlers’ electrifying skating ability is impressive to watch and can lead to some dynamic plays and impressive zone entries so there were some personal highlights for him to go through.

But there were times during the viewing process where Ehlers could hardly believe what he was watching.

“I don’t think it’s hard to look through my games. I know that I play (crappy) games and I play good games,” he said. “You go through them and you sit there and sometimes you’re just shaking your head (and thinking) ‘what are you doing?’

“It’s kind of fun to go through it and see where you’re at and where you can get better.”

It was an interesting season for Ehlers, who missed 20 games due to injury while recording 21 goals and 37 points as he averaged 15:46 of ice time per game.

At times, Ehlers found himself on the top line with Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler on what was a highly effective and productive unit.

But at others, Ehlers endured a few dry spells and battled through a period of inconsistent play.

“You don’t want to play one good game out of four, you don’t want to play two good games out of four,” said Ehlers. “Three out of four is OK. You know that you’re not going to play 82 fantastic games. No one in the league has done that, maybe Wayne Gretzky. So, you’ve got to find a way to play at a high level for 82 games and keep working towards getting close to that.”

During the playoffs, Ehlers went six games without recording a point and there was some debate over whether he should have even dressed for what ended up being the final game of the season for the Jets.

Ehlers blocked a shot from Blues defenceman Colton Parayko and suffered a fractured foot, but he did what he could to be ready and did the best that he could, though his skating ability was obviously impacted by the ailment.

Having said that, Ehlers had no regrets about telling Jets head coach Paul Maurice he was good to go, even if he wasn’t anywhere close to 100 percent.

“It wasn’t a hard (decision) because it was a pretty important game. We had been trying to create something special all season and for me to sit out that one would have been tough, no matter what,” said Ehlers. “I wanted to go out there and do my best and I wanted to show the boys that, no matter what, we’re in this together. When I got on the ice, I could feel it but we did everything we could to make that pain go away and it felt OK. I’m happy I got out there, but I’m not happy about the result.

“When you don’t play, you feel like you’re letting down the team.”

The recovery period wasn’t too long, but the injury was serious enough to prevent Ehlers from suiting up for Denmark at the IIHF men’s world hockey championship.

“I wanted my foot to heal completely for this season,” said Ehlers.

As for the matter of him having no goals in 21 playoff games, Ehlers shows his sense of humour when the subject is broached.

“What? Zero?” said Ehlers, who quickly got serious in his self-evaluation. “It’s a different game. At the end of each regular season, you start to get into that playoff mentality and get into the playoff type of hockey and that prepares you,” said Ehlers. “For me, my first playoff wasn’t bad (seven assists in 15 games as the Jets reached the Western Conference final), but there are a lot of small things that are different in playoff hockey that I’ve been trying to figure out.

“It’s just harder, tougher, faster. There’s more grit to it and it’s just a matter of going out there and playing a little bigger and tougher than you are. Getting to the net, shooting more. For me, it’s not something that I’m thinking too much about right now. But there are a lot of those small things that I can take into the regular season and just start there. I’m going to do my best to build up to playoff hockey better.”

Darcy Finley / NHLI via Getty Images

That goose egg under the goal category was probably one of the reasons Ehlers found his name in trade rumours for the first time of his young career this past summer.

One of those rumours had the Jets discussing moving Ehlers to the Carolina Hurricanes for a defenceman, most likely Brett Pesce.

Sure, it comes with the territory when you’re playing professional sports, but Ehlers didn’t let the outside noise bother him.

“It didn’t touch me, to be honest,” said Ehlers. “It was kind of funny to hear my name, because you have no idea what’s going on. You’re hearing this from people. The first time I heard something, it was one of my friends or my dad and he said ‘I guess you’re going here.’ All of these people are asking me, ‘where are you going? What’s happening?’ The only thing I could tell them was that I have no idea. I still had a great summer, I didn’t think about that – only when people came up to me, of course.

“I’m happy to be back here and I want to stay, obviously.”

With training camp officially opening with fitness testing on Friday, Ehlers isn’t worried about possibly being on the move. There are much more pressing matters to focus on.

“I want to get a bigger role, that’s what everybody wants. I’m going to keep working for that,” said Ehlers. “And if I get it, I’m going to keep working in order to keep it. I’m not saying that I don’t have a big role, but you always want more. You’re not just doing that for yourself, but you’re doing that for the other guys in the room. Everyone in the room is trying to get better.

“It’s exciting. I don’t think there should ever be a guy or a woman in sports that is just fine with how they play. Everybody is always pushing to be No. 1, always pushing to be better. Once you’re there, you’re not going to stop doing it – or you’re going to lose that spot.”

With fellow wingers Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor still waiting to sign new contracts, Ehlers was asked if he was glad that he signed his long-term extension (six years, $36 million with an AAV of $6 million) before the final year of his entry-level contract started.

“For me and the Jets, when we decided to do it, it literally took three days,” said Ehlers. “We both knew what we wanted. I wanted to stay and they wanted me to stay and I was happy to get it done that fast and I didn’t have to go through all of that (contract negotiation). There was never a doubt in my mind where I wanted to be, so it was easy for me to say that I want to stay for the long term.

“I don’t know what they (Laine and Connor) are going through right now, I’ve never been in that situation. It’s up to them, but for us guys, it obviously sucks not having them here. We’ve played with them for three years. You want your brothers to come back.”

For the record, Ehlers isn’t overly concerned with point totals, though many are wondering if this just might be the season he hits the 30-goal plateau for the first time.

“I don’t know. I’ve never set myself statistic goals,” said Ehlers. “Sometimes it goes really well and sometimes it doesn’t. You can play a bad game and have three points or you can play a good game and have zero. You have to play your best for the team and when that’s not happening, you’ve got to find a way to do it or to find a different way to help the team. A more simple, easy game.

“It’s something that I feel I’ve gotten better at and it’s something that I will be working on.”

(Photo: Jonathan Kozub / NHLI via Getty Images)