When the Nashville Predators drafted Finnish winger Eeli Tolvanen with the 30th pick in 2017, it seemed like a steal. Many scouts had Tolvanen as a top 15 skater in the entire world. But by the graces of the NHL gods, this goalscorer fell into Nashville’s lap at #30. In the two seasons before he was drafted, Tolvanen played in the USHL for the Sioux City Musketeers. In 2015-2016, Tolvanen tallied 38 points in 49 games. The following year, at 17 years old, Eeli notched 30 goals and 24 assists in 52 games.
Simply put, Tolvanen has been a pure scorer since his early teens.