Almost a month ago now, the Nashville Predators made a head-scratching decision by placing 23-year-old former first-round pick Eeli Tolvanen on waivers. He didn’t last long on the waiver wire as the Seattle Kraken jumped on the opportunity to add the young talented forward to their roster. Through five games, Tolvanen looks like a key piece to the franchise’s success.
Tolvanen showed promise in Nashville, recording back-to-back seasons of 11 goals and 20-plus points and finishing his Predators career with 25 goals and 26 assists for 51 points across 135 games. While the numbers are not eye-popping, the Finnish native is still just coming into his own. The Kraken see a solid depth player that can play in their bottom six as they wait and see what type of player he develops into.
In only five games, he has made his presence felt in Seattle, recording three goals and two assists, as he’s already a point-per-game player for them. Two of his goals have come way of the power play as he’s stepped right into a role on special teams, making a positive impact.
While Tolvanen isn’t going to be a 30-goal scorer for the team as of right now, he provides solid depth and secondary scoring for a Kraken team looking to make the playoffs. Having a young guy capable of scoring 10-15 goals on your third and fourth line is what makes good teams Cup contenders; just look at the Boston Bruins.
Since joining the team, the Kraken have won all five of the games Tolvanen has played in as they are riding a five-game win streak heading into tonight’s matchup with the Buffalo Sabers.
In just their second season in the NHL, the Kraken are in the thick of a playoff battle. They currently sit third in the Pacific Division with a 23-12-4 record, only trailing the Los Angles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights.
