Eeli Tolvanen is having a great season.
Seattle Kraken NHL star Eeli Tolvanen26, is having the best season of his career, even though the season got off to a rough start.
In his first nine matches, Tolvanen caught only one assist point, but after that the pace has completely changed: in the last 29 matches, the Finnish cannon has scored 24 points.
Tolvanen received a great honor on Monday, when the NHL announced that the Finnish forward has been chosen as last week’s second star.
Recognition is not an everyday treat for Finns. In the current season, Tolvanen is the first player in blue and white to receive this honor.
According to Tolvanen, the players are not informed about the star selections of the week, but are heard all over the coast.
– They’re not really publicized. When you’re watching the NHL Network TV broadcast, you might get a glimpse at the bottom or an update on social media. Today I actually heard about it when GM [Jason Botterill] walked up and said, Tolvanen told Iltalehte on New Year’s Eve.
He is overall satisfied with his own season.
– I have to be satisfied that I have been able to play a lot and have been successful. I’ve been given a lot of responsibility with understrength, overstrength and tied fives, so it’s been nice to play, Tolvanen sums up the opening half of his own season.
As a team, Kraken is fighting for the last playoff spots. At the time of writing, the Kraken are tied for the last wild card spot in the Western Conference (41) with the Los Angeles Kings.
Tolvanen considers the team’s current rhythm good.
– There was a bit more difficult period going on, and we played erratically, but fortunately we were able to correct the course before Christmas. Now I think we have found a really good boom, and it’s a good feeling to play.
Tolvanen’s excellent first season also means a headache for GM Botterill. Tolvanen is playing the last season of his contract, and if the man’s current pace continues, he will set a career point record this season.
So Botterill will have to dig into the picture and hit the Finn with a bigger bundle of dollars on the table or, alternatively, trade Tolvanen, when his exchange value is high.
Tolvanen has not bothered himself with contract or transfer matters.
– I haven’t really thought anything about it yet. I’m just focused on this early season, and there are still a lot of games to come. I have to keep going the same way.
According to Tolvanen, follow-up issues are “the bane of that time.”
Finnish ischemia
Jani Nyman (38) and Kaapo Kakko (84) also puck in Kraken. In the picture, the Finnish duo celebrates the goal with Matthew Beniers (behind). AOP
In addition to Tolvanen, Finns play in Kraken’s team Kaapo Kako and a promise fighting for his place in the lineup Jani Nyman.
The organization also has a defender Ville Ottavainen and the goalkeeper Niklas Kokko.
According to Tolvanen, the Finns in the club keep in touch as closely as NHL everyday life allows. Contact with those who play in the NHL is closer.
– Right here I’m driving after Kako to one of the sauna places, and then we’ll go to the sauna together, Tolvanen laughs.
Finns spend a lot of time together outside the ice rink – as Tolvanen’s sauna example shows.
– We Finns spent Christmas together, and if there are days off, Kakko or Nyman or both often come to eat and watch games and movies and so on.
Finnish players spend a lot of time together not only in Seattle but also on away trips.
– We go to eat or throw darts if we find a suitable place.
Who is number one in darts?
– Kaapo seems to be better at that. He has his own dart board at home. Otherwise pretty steady, says Tolvanen.
What about in the sauna – who holds the ladle in their laps?
– Aren’t we throwing water pretty evenly? Which one lasts longer depends on the day.
In addition to the players playing in the NHL and AHL, Kraken’s contract player Julius Miettinen plays in the under-20 World Cup in the jersey of the Young Lions.
Tolvanen has closely followed the actions of young Finns.
– Yes, those games should be watched. The time difference is just right when the difference to Minnesota is only three hours. They are entertaining games.
Tolvanen is a real U20 hero himself. He represented Finland in the under-20 world championships three times and got to experience both the world championship and the qualifying series – that is, the extremes.
Have you given Miettinen tips for the tournament?
– Not at all, Tolvanen laughs.
Olympics
Tolvanen is the hardest-working tackler on his team. Opponents have also learned that. AOP
The versatile Tolvanen is about to force himself into the Lions’ Olympic team.
Tolvanen didn’t fit into the Lions’ lineup in the four-nation tournament last February, which left a lot to be desired. Now he wants to earn his place in the best-versus-best tournament.
– Every player wants to play in the Olympics, that’s clear. There’s no denying that it was a shame that I didn’t fit into the team at the 4 Nations, he admits.
Tolvanen’s teammate Kakko represented Finland in the four-nation tournament in Boston and Montreal. It is possible that the friends will both get on the Olympic machine. This would suit Tolvane.
– Sometimes we have talked that it would be wonderful if both of them could make it. However, it is not often used to speculate. We’re just waiting because the invitations will come, if they come at all.
Vihtäläinen is together Jordan Eberle with the most powerful player on his team, and in addition to power, the Finnish virtuoso brings a lot more to the table. He plays in his team’s number one advantage, and minutes are also accumulated in the understrength.
Tolvanen is remembered as a genius goal scorer who wreaked havoc in the KHL with his wild shot. In the Joker’s shirt, he scored 19 goals in 49 matches in the 2017–18 season.
The man knows how to do things, but he also knows how to play a physical game. Tolvanen has tackled the most of his team. Out of all NHL players, he has shared the 30th most. Tolvanen has whipped opponents 97 times.
Tolvanen would be a great addition to Leijon due to his versatility. The Olympics have been on the man’s mind.
– Of course, it’s been in the back of my mind that it’s an Olympic year. Everyone wants to go there – including myself – and there is quite a lot of competition for places to play in Finland. It brought additional energy to training in the summer.
For the rest of the season, Tolvane has only one goal.
– Drag the team to the playoffs. However, those are the games for which the regular season is played.