More than three weeks into unrestricted free agency, there are still a handful of intriguing players left on the open market. Among the more interesting ones is winger Eeli Tolvanen.
Drafted by Nashville at the end of the first round in 2017, Tolvanen took a couple of years to really make his mark but established himself as a decent secondary scoring threat in the 2020-21 campaign when he had 22 points in 40 games as a 21-year-old. Unfortunately for him, that led to some higher expectations, ones he wasn’t able to meet, especially with a new three-year bridge deal in tow.
Tolvanen was a regular in Nashville’s lineup in his sophomore season but it didn’t result in an uptick in production. Instead, he wound up with just one more point despite playing in 35 more games. Before long, he fell out of favor and early in the 2022-23 campaign, he was claimed off waivers by Seattle.
The move seemed to revitalize him as he notched 16 goals and 11 assists in 48 games following the claim. Then, in Tolvanen’s first full season with the Kraken, he put up 16 goals and 25 assists, setting new career highs in assists and points. It looked like he was on his way to being a viable middle-six scorer.
Seattle certainly felt that way as they rewarded him with a two-year deal worth $3.475MM per season.
The first year of that went well. While his assist and point totals dropped off, Tolvanen potted a career-high 23 goals. That type of production from someone at that price tag was a strong return.
But things flipped the other way last season. Tolvanen’s goal total was cut by nearly half but his assist total jumped from 12 to 24, keeping him in the mid-30s for points. That gave him a respectable platform season heading into the open market.
There’s another element of Tolvanen’s game that warrants a mention. While he’s on the smaller side, he plays with plenty of physicality, averaging more than two hits per game for his career. In 2024-25, he was just shy of three per night.
Teams looking for some sandpaper should be intrigued by that element.
Despite that, Tolvanen remains unsigned. While his point total has been rather consistent over the years (he has ranged between 31 and 41 points over the last four seasons), how he has gotten there has been anything but consistent. That might be hurting him as he seeks a longer-term commitment on the open market.
Stats
2025-26: 78 GP, 12 G, 24 A, 36 PTS, -18, 30 PIMS, 141 shots, 16:03 ATOI, 43.2 CF%
Career: 423 GP, 92 G, 98 A, 190 PTS, -37, 111 PIMS, 768 shots, 14:47 ATOI, 48.6 CF%
Potential Suitors
In the East, the Red Wings were recently noted as a suitor for Tolvanen’s services. The fit makes sense given that Detroit has lost some firepower this season and he could fit in their top six while adding a bit of grit as well. The Canadiens would undoubtedly love to get a second-line center but if that doesn’t happen, a pivot to a winger addition would also be beneficial.
Tolvanen profiles as a second or third-line forward with them while his willingness to hit stands out on a team that isn’t overly physical. If Tolvanen is open to accepting a lesser role to go to a contender, the Hurricanes would make some sense as well if they have enough money left after figuring out their plans for Alexander Nikishin. He’d be a third-liner at most when the team is fully healthy but he’d make a deep lineup even deeper.
Out West, several Canadian teams feel like reasonable fits. He’d have a shot at a top-six role with the Jets, a team that’s still certainly in need of more firepower. Winnipeg seems like a team that should be willing to make a multi-year commitment as well, something that might not be the case for many other teams at the moment.
At 27, Tolvanen is still young enough that he could fit on a team like the Flames, giving them some extra depth in their middle six. Meanwhile, if the Oilers want to bring in one more piece before the season starts, Tolvanen’s goal-scoring ability could make him a fit in the role that Jack Roslovic had last season. If not them, returning to the Kraken wouldn’t be the worst idea with Seattle not exactly adding much this summer.
Projected Contract
Tolvanen was rated 19th on our Top 50 UFA list last month with a projected three-year, $12MM contract. A small raise given his output and physical play seemed reasonable and frankly, still does. But at this point, it seems clear that getting a raise and term on the contract seems unlikely.
A one-year deal might still earn him an increase from the $3.475MM he made over the last two seasons; a $4MM price tag would be affordable for a lot of the teams above. With the right fit, a step forward offensively would then theoretically boost his market for next summer. But if Tolvanen doesn’t want to be testing the open market next summer, the asking price may have to land closer to his last contract.
Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.