Prospect Info: At 30th Overall the Predators Select Eeli Tolvanen

[LastWordArmy]

Scouting Report

http://lastwordonhockeyprospects.com/2017/04/09/eeli-tolvanen-scouting-report-2017-nhl-draft-11/

STEAL

Click to read more...

 

[Prins Filip]

Ooh! I am really surprised he fell so much. Really glad sith this pick, his shot is really impressive!

 

[Ricklongisland]

Congrats on the steal of the draft Nashville. This kid deserved to go much higher.

 

[thecloser]

I love this pick.

 

[Enoch]

Love this pick. One of my more favorite first round picks recently. I hope the Kealty announcement meant this was his guy.

 

[worstfaceoffmanever]

Eeli Tolvanen, 30th Overall, Sioux City

I'll be doing these again this year...

Eeli Tolvanen
Position: Left Wing
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 181 lbs.
DOB: 4-22-1999
Shoots: Left
Committed To: Boston College (failed to meet admissions requirements)

Ranked #17 by ISS
Ranked #22 by McKeen's Hockey
Ranked #8 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
Ranked #17 by Bob McKenzie

Junior Stats

Season|Team|GP|G|A|TP|PIM
2015-16|Sioux City|49|17|21|38|12
2016-17|Sioux City|52|30|24|54|26

International Stats

Season|Team|GP|G|A|TP|PIM
2015|Finland WHC17|5|9|1|10|0
2016|Finland WJC18|7|7|2|9|0
2017|Finland WJC20|6|2|4|6|2

From Ben Kerr, Last Word On Sports:

Skating

Tolvanen is a very good skater. He has very good top-end speed. Tolvanen uses a quick first step and excellent acceleration to elude defenders and get himself open to fire a shot on goal. He can beat his man to the outside. When Tolvanen gets a step on his man, he can drop his shoulder and cut to the net. He can also make a number of quick cuts, and uses strong agility to beat his man one-on-one. Despite his small stature, Tolvanen is strong on the puck and has good balance on his skates. He is tough to knock over when he is battling for pucks along the boards.

Offensive Game

Tolvanen is a pure sniper who scores goals in a variety of different ways. He reads the play extremely well, and gets himself into the right position to create a scoring chance. Tolvanen has an outstanding one-timer, with great power and accuracy. He also has a lightning quick release on his wrist shot. That wrist shot is heavy, and he is also very accurate. Tolvanen has the soft hands to make quick moves and beat defenders with his stick handling ability. Tolvanen’s snap shot is also deadly. He can fire that vast assortment of shots in stride. He can also bury rebounds and has the hand-eye coordination to get deflections in front of the net as well.

While he is known for his goal scoring, Tolvanen also has good vision and passing skills. He can be a playmaker both in the cycle game, and when coming down the wing with the puck. He can also use his strong stick handling, and changes of pace in his skating, to open up passing lanes and find an open teammate. His high level hockey IQ extends to his play making, as he finds teammates open and in good positions to generate a scoring chance.

Projection and Comparison

Tolvanen has the ability to be a top six winger in the NHL. He will need to improve his strength and continue to work on becoming more well-rounded, but his ability to score goals is something that can not be taught. In terms of a stylistic, but not talent based, comparison Tolvanen plays the game like Phil Kessel of the Pittsburgh Penguins, at least at the offensive end of the ice.

Zachary Devine, THW:

Tolvanen has the shifty skating that you want to see from smaller players. He is slippery and can skate around a defender with a quick burst or simply worm his way through, under or around larger players. His nose for the net keeps him largely a north/south skater and

The issue with Tolvanen is the lack of size which will be held against him. Forwards that are 6-foot-5 have to prove the cannot play in the NHL whereas 5-foot-10 wingers have to prove they can. Tolvanen is not overly physical in the sense he can dominate a defender in the corners, but he has an attitude that has been both good and bad. But when taking on much larger players, possessing a chip on your shoulder is an added bonus.

Peter Harling, DobberProspects.com:

Tolvanen is a sniper; his whole game revolves around supporting his arsenal of shots. He has a deceptive and quick release, shots from anywhere with pinpoint accuracy. Tolvanen can shoot in stride, with speed on a rush, or unleash and Ovechkin like one-timer off the half boards on the powerplay and bang in some dirty goals from the crease as well. He skates well and has good vision to read and react to the play well. He is undersized by traditional NHL standards but he is committed to play for Boston College in his post draft year where he can hit the gym to add some size and strength. His fantasy upside is among the top of his draft class.

 

[BigFatCat999]

So, he will be called 'Eli' soon right?

 

[Top 6 Spaling]

*knew nothing about Eeli*
Pierre: "I'd compare him to Vladimir Tarasenko"
*falls in love with pick*

I do it every year but love this. A sniper is always a welcome addition.

 

[maplepred]

Wow! Shocked we got this guy so late, but super stoked!
He could have easily been a top ten pick.

Welcome to Nashville Eeli!

 

[Gnashville]

Ooh! I am really surprised he fell so much. Really glad sith this pick, his shot is really impressive!

Is he Vader??


Freaking thrilled with this pick!! He should have went top 10.

 

[thecloser]

*knew nothing about Eeli*
Pierre: "I'd compare him to Vladimir Tarasenko"
*falls in love with pick*

I do it every year but love this. A sniper is always a welcome addition.

hahaha I did the same thing. Then I saw the highlight of him sniping one above the shoulder of the goalie

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Nashville had excellent draft luck which lead to draft best Finnish 1999 born sniper.
Tolvanen will be big add to Predators offence and hopefully Eeli someday in future scores stanley cup winning goal to Predators.

Congrats of the steal of the 2017 draft.
PS Who was that scout who announced Tolvanen's name was it Janne Kekalainen?

 

[triggrman]

Have we ever drafted a sniper?

 

[worstfaceoffmanever]

I like this pick. His size doesn't bother me that much. If he can skate and he can shoot, we'll find a place for him at this level.

Watching film of this guy excites me. Seeing him tee up one-timers from the top of the circle and get some real zip on them gives me a lot of optimism. Once we get him settled somewhere, looking forward to seeing how he develops.

 

[GeauxPreds]

if this kid ends up being the real deal I imagine him and fiala would be amazing to watch on the same line

 

[Top 6 Spaling]

I hate how I always gets excited about our 1st/2nd rounders, then have to wait three years to see them have a shot at the roster.

 

[Gnashville]

I hate how I always gets excited about our 1st/2nd rounders, then have to wait three years to see them have a shot at the roster.

Jones and Hartnell are our only 1st round picks to make the team right after the draft I think.

Have we ever drafted a sniper?

Radulov

 

[OpenWheel]

Poile is slipping...

Not sure this guy has enough detail in his defensive game?


Whoo! Love this guy's highlights. And I always like Finns. This kid could make the team fairly quickly. He looks strong.

All of a sudden I'm less upset James Neal is gone. Real Deal Eeli doesn't have that same ring though. But he has that shot.

 

[bdub24]

Poile is slipping...

Not sure this guy has enough detail in his defensive game?


Whoo! Love this guy's highlights. And I always like Finns. This kid could make the team fairly quickly. He looks strong.

All of a sudden I'm less upset James Neal is gone. Real Deal Eeli doesn't have that same ring though. But he has that shot.

Real Deal Eel.

 

[JustaFinnishGuy]

Real Deal Eel.

Please dont. Just.. that makes my skin crawl

 

[triggrman]

Jones and Hartnell are our only 1st round picks to make the team right after the draft I think.


Radulov

]

Don't think he was a sniper.

 

[drwpreds]

Fantastic pick- you just can't ask for anything more at the #30 slot- and his skill set is exactly what we need.

 

[Osprey]

It's kind of funny to think that he could've been the same player that they would've taken if they'd just missed the playoffs (rather than just squeaked in) and picked at #15.

People are saying that he's small, but the prospect sites and mock drafts probably have old numbers. He was listed at 5'10 1/2" and 189lbs on TV, which I'm guessing are numbers from the very recent combine. That's about Fiala's size, and he has two more years of growing and bulking up. He even looked to me to be of good size when he was walking up. He may be fine, especially if he's truly as skilled as is reported.

Real Deal Eel.

I hear that he's an electrifying player.

 

[Persona5]

How did this even happen? Most mocks had him in the top 15. Is the Boston college commitment an issue maybe. Something has to be up for him to drop to 30. Kid has skills!

 

[Persona5]

It's kind of funny that it's potentially the same player that could've reasonably taken if they'd just missed the playoffs (rather than just squeaked in) and picked at #15.

People are saying that he's small, but they may be looking at prospect sites and mock drafts that have old numbers. He was listed at 5'10 1/2" and 189lbs on TV, which I'm guessing are numbers from the very recent combine. That's about Fiala's size, and he has two more years of growing and bulking up. He even looked to me to be of good size when he was walking up. He may be fine, especially if he's truly as skilled as is reported.



I hear that he's an electrifying player.

Small isn't always bad. Just look at arvy! At 5'10"/11" he isn't really small...