Eeli Tolvanen Bio
Eeli Tolvanen is a Finnish professional ice hockey player who plays right wing for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Vihti, Finland, native was selected 30th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2017 NHL entry draft and is widely recognized for his scoring touch and powerful shot. Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 191 pounds, Tolvanen has built a reputation as a goal-scoring winger at every level of his career.
Early Life and Background
Eeli Tolvanen was born on 22 April 1999 in Vihti, Finland, where he was raised and first learned to skate. He comes from a hockey-driven family and is the youngest of three brothers, all of whom have pursued the sport. His older brother Joona plays in the Finnish Mestis league, while his oldest brother Atte plays for EC Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian ICE Hockey League and has represented Austria internationally after receiving Austrian citizenship.
Tolvanen first developed his game in his native country, playing youth hockey with Kiekko-Espoo of the SM-sarja. Growing up in a competitive hockey culture in Finland, he quickly showed the scoring instincts that would later define his career. In 2015, Tolvanen chose to pursue a North American development path, an unusual step for a top Finnish prospect of his age.
Path to Hockey
For the 2015–16 season, Tolvanen joined the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL), one of the top junior circuits in North America. In his first season, he produced 17 goals and 21 assists for 38 points, drawing attention from major junior scouts. He was selected by the Oshawa Generals in the 2016 OHL Import Draft and also committed to play collegiate hockey at Boston College on 13 June 2016.
Tolvanen’s 2016–17 season with the Musketeers was a breakthrough. He finished eighth in the USHL in points with 54, third in goals with 30, and first in even-strength goals with 24, cementing his status as a top NHL prospect. The Nashville Predators selected him 30th overall in the 2017 NHL entry draft, and ESPN analyst Corey Pronman labeled him “the steal of the draft.” His plans to attend Boston College ended on 22 June 2017, when the school’s admissions office rejected his application over a high school course credit issue.
Eeli Tolvanen Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
With his collegiate path closed, Tolvanen signed an optional two-year contract with Finnish-based Jokerit of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in July 2017. He made an immediate impact, scoring a hat trick in his KHL debut against HC Dinamo Minsk on 23 August 2017, becoming the youngest player to record a hat trick in KHL history at 18 years old. He added a second hat trick on 25 September 2017 against HC Vityaz and earned KHL Rookie of the Month honors in September and October.
Tolvanen finished the KHL regular season with 19 goals and 17 assists in 49 games, setting a new KHL scoring record for players under the age of 19, surpassing Evgeny Kuznetsov’s previous mark of 32 points in 44 games. During the playoffs, he added six goals to tie Valeri Nichushkin for the KHL goalscoring record for teenage players. After Jokerit were eliminated in the quarterfinals by CSKA Moscow, he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators and made his NHL debut on 31 March 2018, against the Buffalo Sabres.
Nashville Predators Era (2018–2022)
Tolvanen began 2018–19 with the Predators’ AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, where he recorded his first AHL goal on 13 October 2018 against the Hershey Bears. He was recalled to the NHL on 1 December 2018 and scored his first career NHL goal that night against Cam Ward of the Chicago Blackhawks, becoming the 177th player in franchise history to score for Nashville. He finished his rookie AHL season with 15 goals and 35 points.
The Predators’ coaching staff asked Tolvanen during the 2018 off-season to lose weight and improve his quickness, and he returned to camp noticeably slimmer. He began 2019–20 in the AHL and tallied 21 goals and 15 assists for 36 points through 63 games before the season was paused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He then returned to Jokerit on loan, posting five goals and 13 points in 25 appearances before heading back to North America on 15 December 2020.
Seattle Kraken Era (2022–Present)
During the 2022–23 season, after appearing in 13 games and recording 4 points, Tolvanen was placed on waivers by the Predators on 11 December 2022. His Nashville tenure ended the following day when he was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Kraken, with Predators general manager David Poile acknowledging, “this could be a mistake on our part.”
Tolvanen quickly found a home in Seattle, scoring his first goal for the Kraken on 1 January 2023, on the power play against the New York Islanders, and tallying five goals and two assists in his first eight games. He scored twice against his former Predators on 25 March 2023, and finished the season with 16 goals and 11 assists in 48 games as the Kraken qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in franchise history. On 18 April 2023, he scored Seattle’s first-ever playoff goal in a 3–1 win over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of their first-round series. He also scored for the Kraken at the 2024 NHL Winter Classic.
Driving Style and Strengths
Tolvanen is best known for his elite shot, quick release, and nose for the net. He thrives as a power-play contributor and has produced offense at every level of his career, from the USHL to the KHL to the NHL. After arriving in Seattle, he credited the Kraken with giving him more consistent opportunity, and his comfort grew alongside the team’s first true contender run.
Notable Events and Milestones
Signature moments include becoming the youngest player to record a KHL hat trick in 2017, setting a new KHL under-19 scoring record the same season, scoring Seattle’s first-ever playoff goal in 2023, and winning a bronze medal with Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He also tied Valeri Nichushkin for the KHL goalscoring record for teenage players during the 2017–18 KHL playoffs.
Eeli Tolvanen Career Wins
Beyond his countless goals at every level, Tolvanen has collected individual accolades and team achievements, including KHL Rookie of the Month honors in September and October 2017, an IIHF U18 World Championship gold medal in 2016, and an Olympic bronze medal in 2026. His goal-scoring consistency has translated across the USHL, KHL, AHL, and NHL.
KHL Highlights
In his lone KHL regular season with Jokerit, Tolvanen recorded 19 goals and 17 assists in 49 games, setting the KHL’s all-time scoring record for players under 19. He added six goals in the playoffs before joining Nashville. His two hat tricks in his first 11 KHL games marked him as one of the league’s most exciting teenage imports.
Other Wins and Performances
Tolvanen helped Finland capture gold at the 2016 IIHF World U18 Championships and represented his country at the 2017 and 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, the 2018 Winter Olympics, the 2025 IIHF World Championship, and the 2026 Winter Olympics. He was also voted in by fans to play at the 2018 KHL All-Star Game.
Eeli Tolvanen Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
While the Tolvanen family has no professional racing ties, their athletic lineage is rooted in hockey. All three Tolvanen brothers have pursued competitive careers, and during the 2025 IIHF World Championship, Eeli faced his brother Atte, who represents Austria after receiving Austrian citizenship. The pair became the third set of brothers to face each other at the World Championship level, following Robert and Martin Reichel and Larry and Steve Rucchin.
Personal Life
Tolvanen remains closely connected to his Finnish roots and to his two older brothers, Joona and Atte. His journey from Vihti to the NHL, and from Nashville to Seattle, has been shaped by his family support system and his lifelong passion for the game.
2025 Season Performance
Throughout the 2025 calendar year, Tolvanen continued his role as a key contributor on the Kraken’s top offensive lines. He remained a fixture on the power play and was regularly deployed in scoring situations as Seattle looked to build on its first playoff appearance in 2023. His familiarity with the team’s systems and the trust built with the coaching staff translated into consistent ice time and meaningful offensive output.
At the international level, Tolvanen represented Finland at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, where he played against his brother Atte of Austria in a notable family storyline. The tournament served as a strong measuring stick for his game heading into the 2025–26 NHL season, and his steady two-way play reinforced his value as a top-six winger. Tolvanen also joined Finland for the 2026 Winter Olympics, helping the team capture a bronze medal and further cementing his standing on the global stage.
