Eeli Tolvanen remains without a contract, but the former Seattle Kraken winger apparently isn’t short on options.
More than seven weeks into free agency, Tolvanen is still waiting to find his next NHL home. According to Pacific North Hockey’s Rob Simpson, Tolvanen’s camp has been in contact with multiple teams about a potential deal, although nothing has progressed far enough to put pen to paper.
Advertisement
One team that doesn’t appear to be in the mix is Seattle, where he’s spent the last three seasons.
The Kraken moved on this offseason, adding forwards Mackie Samoskevich and Curtis Douglas while also likely expecting more from RFA winger Jacob Melanson. Melanson brings a physical element Seattle could use after Tolvanen averaged 211 hits per season over the past three years.
The Hockey News has also heard some rumblings connecting Tolvanen to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and even the Montreal Canadiens. There appears to be interest, but with training camps only a few weeks away, the fact that Tolvanen remains unsigned isn’t exactly an encouraging sign.
The 27-year-old reached the 30-point mark in each of his three seasons with the Kraken, but his production dipped last season, when he finished with 12 goals and 36 points in 78 games. His 24 assists, however, were just one shy of the career high he established the previous season. So perhaps there’s something we don’t know.
Advertisement
And it wasn’t long ago that Tolvanen looked like a particularly valuable middle-six piece. He scored 23 goals in 2024-25 and has shown he can provide offense while bringing a willingness to play a physical game despite being a little undersized.
That combination should still make him an appealing option for teams looking to round out their lineup.
A one-year deal could make more sense for Tolvanen. He would get another opportunity to prove himself, potentially rebuild his offensive numbers and return to the market next summer with more leverage.
For now, the former Kraken remains unsigned, and his window to land the kind of contract he was hoping for is closing rapidly.
Read the full article here
