Seattle Kraken claim Eeli Tolvanen off waivers from Nashville Predators

It’ll be a change of scenery for Eeli Tolvanen.

The Nashville Predators placed Tolvanen on waivers on Sunday and he was claimed by the Seattle Kraken.

#SeaKraken have claimed Eeli Tolvanen off waivers from #preds

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) December 12, 2022

Tolvanen was selected No. 30 overall by the Predators in the 2017 NHL Draft. In his draft-plus-one season, Tolvanen generated quite a bit of hype as a prospect when he scored 19 goals and 36 points over 49 games in the KHL as an 18-year-old.

In his first full season in North America, Tolvanen scored 15 goals and 35 points across 58 AHL games and one goal and one assist over four NHL games. Tolvanen then spent the entirety of the 2019-20 season in the AHL and scored 21 goals and 36 points in 63 games.

Tolvanen broke through as a full-time NHLer during the pandemic-shortened 2021 season and scored 11 goals and 22 points over 40 games. His 2021-22 season didn’t result in another step forward, as Tolavanen scored 23 points over 75 games.

After he scored just two goals and four points in 13 games this season, the Predators placed Tolvanen on waivers.

Tolvanen will now join a Kraken team putting together a much stronger season than most expected from them. Seattle went 27-49-6 in its inaugural NHL season in 2021-22 and finished third-last in the league standings. This year, the Kraken are off to a 16-8-3 start and currently sit in second place in the Pacific Division.

Tolvanen is in the second season of a three-year contract worth $1.45 million annually. He’s set to become a restricted free agent for the second time in his career following the 2023-24 season.

In a corresponding roster move, the Kraken placed forward Karson Kuhlman on waivers. Kuhlman has three points in 14 games for Seattle this season.