The disappointing season that the Toronto Maple Leafs have endured for the first time in a while will be over in just a matter of weeks, which should help them to start shifting focus to how they want to construct their roster for next year.
A player they should specifically keep their eye on is right winger Eeli Tolvanen of the Seattle Kraken, who is a free agent this summer. Tolvanen, who is still young in NHL terms at 26-years-old, has been playing consistently in the league since 2020-21. While he hasn't tallied insane numbers so far, Tolvanen could be looked at as one of the main pieces right now with the Kraken.
In 67 games played so far, he has 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists). Not jaw-dropping numbers, but he is starting to be fairly consistent with his scoring. Tolvanen's 35 points tie his total from last season, and could possibly give him a chance to tie or break his career-high in points that he recorded in 2023-24.
What stands out about Tolvanen is not his stats, but the way he plays the game. He plays a fast-paced game, soaring in and pouncing on rebounds to put in the back of the net. Not to mention that for a 5-foot-10 forward under 200 lbs, he has a heavy and lightning-fast shot. While the Leafs have shifted away from the scoring power that many are used to seeing, the likes of Tolvanen could revive what once was a heavy goal-scoring team.
Eeli Tolvanen puts it right to the top shelf 🚨 pic.twitter.com/h4274FJs2p
— NHL (@NHL) January 20, 2026
Why signing Tolvanen this summer makes sense for the Leafs
The Leafs still lack some depth, despite getting goals from Max Domi, Dakota Joshua, and Nick Robertson in the last two games. However, they still have to make up for the lost depth that resulted from the departures of Nicolas Roy, Scott Laughton and former Leaf and teammate with Tolvanen in Seattle, Bobby McMann.
While he is serving as a bottom six forward for the Kraken, there's a good chance he could get some reps in the top six, specifically the second line, given how the Leafs roster is currently constructed. With Tolvanen already having the ability to park himself in front of the net, jump on loose rebounds and fire in a hot one-timer when needed, it will add some power to the lineup and help try to build the younger dynamic that the Leafs once had many years ago.
Tolvanen would help add the youthful aspect to the Leafs, which could be a slight change from the handful of veteran players on the team. As mentioned before, he is a free agent this summer, and while Seattle would possibly look to retain him, he would be a decently cheap and young option for the Leafs, who could now possibly start to build a younger group for next year, as the team might look to move on from some of the older players.