SEATTLE, Wash. — July 5, 2024 — Today, the Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) announced that they have agreed to terms with forward Eeli Tolvanen on a two-year contract ($3.475 million AAV).
“Eeli has been an important part of our organization since joining the Kraken two seasons ago,” said Seattle Kraken General Manager Ron Francis. “We’re excited to have him remain a part of our team and are looking forward to his continued growth as a player.”
Tolvanen re-ups with the Kraken after a career year in 2023-24, totaling 41 points (16 goals, 25 assists) in 81 regular-season games and setting career highs in assists, points, even-strength goals (15), even-strength points (31), hits (210), blocked shots (75) and time on ice per game (15:39). He finished the 2023-24 campaign ranked in the top five on Seattle’s roster in goals (fourth), assists (fifth), points (fifth), even-strength goals (second), even-strength points (fourth), and game-winning goals (three; tied second). Tolvanen recorded the 100th point of his career with a goal – the eventual game winner—at the 2024 Winter Classic, making him the 15th skater from the 2017 NHL Draft Class to reach the 100-point milestone.
The five-foot-10, 191-pound forward has recorded 119 points (57 goals, 62 assists) in 264 regular-season NHL games with the Kraken and the Nashville Predators. Picked up off of waivers by Seattle from Nashville on Dec. 12, 2022, Tolvanen led all players claimed off waivers in 2022-23 in goals, points, points per game and power-play goals. He made his Kraken debut on Jan. 1, 2023 and totaled 27 points (16 goals, 11 assists) in 46 games with Seattle, ranking seventh on the team in scoring during that span. Tolvanen has added nine points (four goals, five assists) in 21 Stanley Cup Playoff games in his career, with eight of those nine points coming in 14 games with the Kraken during their 2022-23 playoff run. He scored the first playoff goal in franchise history at Colorado on April 18, 2023 just 3:26 into the game, which marked the sixth-fastest goal to start a franchise’s first playoff game in NHL history according to NHL Stats.
Prior to his NHL career, Tolvanen had stops with the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL (2018-19 to 2019-20), Jokerit of the KHL (2017-18) and the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL (2015-16 to 2016-17). Tolvanen was selected to play in the KHL All-Star game in 2017-18 after leading all junior players with 36 points that season. He also earned USHL All-Rookie honors and First-Team All-USHL honors in 2015-16 and 2016-17, respectively.
A native of Vihti, Finland, Tolvanen has represented his home country at nearly every level of international competition. He played for Team Finland at the 2017, 2018 and 2019 IIHF World Junior Championships, totaling 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) in 18 tournament games and winning a gold medal in 2019. Tolvanen was also a member of Finland’s National Team at the 2018 IIHF World Championship and at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, earning Olympic All-Tournament honors after leading Finnish skaters and tying for second in the tournament with nine points (three goals, six assists).
Tolvanen was originally selected by the Nashville Predators in the first round (30th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft.
