According to the team’s official source, Alison Lukan, the Kraken have just inked a two-year agreement with RFA winger Eeli Tolvanen, just minutes after inking entry-level contract with top prospect Berkly Catton. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, it has a cap hit of $3.475 million. After moving to the Pacific Northwest fifteen months ago, Tolvanen has remained in Seattle, thanks to the Predators’ waiver claim. After being a late first-round choice by Nashville in 2017, the winger finally established a regular spot in the Krakens’ starting lineup. The 25-year-old has been a productive producer in his 15 minutes of action per game since joining the team, scoring 0.53 points per game.
In 2022–23, Tolvanen scored 18 goals for the Kraken and the Preds, which was a career best. However, he had a slight regression in performance this past season. His 41 points (16 goals, 25 assists) in 81 games was still above average, but it was a little disappointing since he scored 16 goals in just 48 games following his relocation to Seattle the previous season. The metrics for his possessions were also uncertain. While Tolvanen was on the ice at even strength for Seattle, the team’s shot attempt percentage was 50.8% and their expected goal percentage was 50.3%, both of which were somewhat below average. But he was a physically demanding player for them. He has 210 hits, which was second on the squad behind only rookie Tye Kartye’s 229.
Tolvanen has established himself as a reliable contributor with room to grow, even if he fell short of Seattle’s expectations last season with 20 goals or more. As a result, he receives a bridge agreement that is shorter and less expensive than the four-year, $4.345M AAV deal that Evolving-Hockey had originally projected.
General manager Ron Francis still needs to sign top center Matthew Beniers this summer; with Tolvanen committed, there are no significant free agents to consider. It may be a tight squeeze, but they’ll have about $8.15 million in cap room to do so following Friday’s signing. A bridge deal for Beniers could be in the cards after the team handed out huge contracts to Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour in free agency. It should be noted that Beniers does not qualify for wage arbitration.
