{"id":455806,"date":"2026-02-12T16:57:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T16:57:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/455806\/"},"modified":"2026-02-12T16:57:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T16:57:14","slug":"watching-finland-this-is-the-kind-of-player-the-leafs-should-be-eyeing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/455806\/","title":{"rendered":"Watching Finland, this is the kind of player the Leafs should be eyeing"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Although Finland was shocked by Slovakia on Wednesday, there is one player who would be a perfect fit for the Maple Leafs who happens to be a pending free agent.<\/p>\n

It started Finland’s tournament off in the worst way possible, and things don’t get any easier as they take on Scandinavian rivals Sweden on Friday.<\/p>\n

Post-Olympics, Toronto needs to target Finnish forward<\/p>\n

But in the midst of this shocking upset came one player who showed that he should be getting perhaps a bit more attention than he has — and he could be a perfect target for the Maple Leafs post-Olympics.<\/p>\n

Finland’s Eeli Tolvanen doesn’t look like your typical Brad Treliving or Craig Berube staple but he certainly plays like one. He’s 5’10 but plays like he’s seven-feet tall, never fearing to throw hit after hit despite his smaller frame.<\/p>\n

Couple that with an innate ability to defend (a Finnish staple) and pretty good offensive skills; he’s the perfect case for an affordable player perfect for a retool.<\/p>\n

Tolvanen, 26, has 185 points in 400 NHL games (91 goals, 94 assists) while adding 938 hits and 314 blocks in only 14:45 TOI. He’s averaged 117.25 hits so far in his career as well as 23.13 points-per-game and if Toronto wants to get younger and cheaper without sacrificing offense — he’s their guy.<\/p>\n

Toronto needs new faces for a retool, and Tolvanen fits the bill to a tee<\/p>\n

Only making $3.475-million this season, he’s a free agent who could easily be signed long term for a fair bargain.<\/p>\n

If Toronto were to pay him $15-million over the next four years then that gives him a pay raise, keeps him in his prime with the Maple Leafs, and is a contract that gets cheaper the more the cap rises.<\/p>\n

Acquiring him won’t be an issue either as the Kraken would likely entertain a deal especially if they find themselves on a losing streak coming out of the Olympics. With only a couple weeks left until the deadline,<\/a> there’s not much time to get things done.<\/p>\n

They run the risk of missing out on him if they don’t pursue him ahead of the deadline but if the Kraken are also going in a different direction then they could forgo re-signing Tolvanen and focus on internal options.<\/p>\n

If Toronto is going to lose names like Scott Laughton, Calle Jarnkrok, Bobby McMann and Nicolas Roy — all who have potential to be traded — then they need talented bottom-six players who bring the grit, physicality, and some offense sprinkled in.<\/p>\n

Eeli Tolvanen fits the bill, and if not now then hopefully he’s still available by the time July 1 rolls around.<\/p>\n

Previously on Hockey Patrol<\/p>\n

POLL<\/p>\n

21 MINUTES AGO|6 ANSWERS<\/p>\n

Watching Finland, this is the kind of player the Leafs should be eyeing<\/p>\n

Should the Maple Leafs pursue Eeli Tolvanen as a retooling target?<\/p>\n

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