The 2017 first-round pick made a brief appearance (three games) with Nashville near the end of the 2017-18 season. The rest of his first professional season he bounced back and forth between his professional team in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League and his native Finland’s national program. Everywhere he played — except with the Predators — he provided offense. He had a team-high six points (one goal, five assists) for Finland at the World Junior Championships and tied for second in scoring among all players with nine points (three goals, six assists) at the Olympics. He also became the highest-scoring teenager in KHL history with 38 points (21 goals, 17 assists). He capped the year with two goals and two assists in five games for Finland at the World Championships. Tolvanen, now 19, will start 2018-19 in North America and will stay for the entire season. He might spend some time in Milwaukee, but his natural offensive ability will force the Predators to promote him eventually, and there is every reason to expect he will put up points in the NHL just as he has everywhere else he has played. DAVID BOCLAIR
Best New Predator
Eeli Tolvanen
