The Lightning should consider taking a chance on this forward.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have made multiple additions to their roster this off-season, but it is fair to argue that they should not be done yet.
When looking at their current roster, it is clear that they could use another forward to solidify their top nine. Due to this, one remaining UFA forward whom the Lightning should strongly consider signing is Eeli Tolvanen.
Tolvanen would have the potential to be a strong fit in the Lightning's middle six. This is because the 27-year-old winger not only contributes solid secondary offensive production but also plays a heavy game. With this, he would have the potential to be a nice replacement for Nick Paul, who was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this off-season.
Tolvanen spent this past season with the Seattle Kraken, where he recorded 12 goals, 24 assists, 36 points, and 187 hits in 78 games. This was after he scored a career-high 23 goals and recorded 35 points during the 2024-25 campaign with the Kraken. He also threw 210 hits in 2023-24 and 237 hits in 2024-25, so there is no question that he would give the Lightning's roster more bite if signed.
Ultimately, with the Lightning needing another forward, there would be no harm in them taking a gamble on a winger like Tolvanen with a short-term deal. Let's see if they do just that from here.
