Predators Must Keep Tolvanen and Tomasino in Top Six Roles

Eeli Tolvanen and Philip Tomasino are two of the most highly touted youngsters on the Nashville Predators roster. The excitement and expectations have been great for these promising forwards, but neither has been overly impressive to start the season.

Tolvanen has not scored a goal since opening night and is at only five points in 18 games. Likewise, Tomasino has only registered three goals and two points in 16 games. Fans certainly want more out of them, but if you were expecting them to light up the scoresheet relentlessly, you were in for disappointment from the get-go.

The truth is both players are very raw and still finding their place on the Predators’ roster and in the NHL. They will eventually reach great heights, but not without going through some growing pains, and the coaching staff and organization will have to realize that.

Growing pains for the young forwards

It is easy to look at someone like Tolvanen as a disappointment this year, as he came onto the team last year and registered several goals, but he has not been the same since getting injured in early April 2021. But context matters, and we have to look at the circumstances that he is dealing with.

Almost all of Tolvanen’s goals were on the power play, as he put up 65 shots in 40 games last year, earning a 16.9 shooting percentage on the year. His shot totals are going way up this year, as he has 45 in 18 games but only has a 2.2 shooting percentage. Why is that, you ask?

Well, first and foremost, he is getting significantly fewer looks on the power play, and firing rockets on the man advantage was his bread and butter last year. Secondly, his average time on ice is down by just under two minutes this year, and as has been the case with Tomasino, he is being flipped from line to line and has been unable to get into a rhythm with his teammates.

In Tomasino’s case, he is going through what many rookies go through and is trying to do too much instead of letting the game come to him. He had two breakaways in two separate games recently and lost the handle both times trying to make a fancy move. He attempted to make a pass between multiple defensemen in the game against the Ducks on Monday night, which of course, was intercepted.

Tolvanen and Tomasino must remain in Nashville Predators’ top six

Recently, however, there has been a glimmer of hope. Both players were put on a line with Ryan Johansen midway through Saturday’s game in Montreal, and they looked strong. But, unfortunately, they have not scored any goals, which makes John Hynes’ tendency to shuffle the lines all the more worrisome in this case, but he must be patient and keep this trio together.

For one thing, all of their skills complement each other perfectly. Tomasino is a pure puck handler and distributor, Tolvanen has a world-class shot, and Johansen is a distributor whose big frame provides him with many net-front opportunities. With how improved the Nashville Predators’ passing has been over the past few weeks, you have to believe that some electrifying plays could come from them soon.

And even if they do not produce immediate results, is that what the expectation was for this season? Do not let the recent stretch of success fool you. The Predators’ goals are still pointing towards the future and must be prioritized over any potential short-term success.

For the sake of keeping chemistry, Hynes must keep this line together, and for the sake of letting his two young forwards develop, he must keep them in the top six. It might be a few more games and maybe even months of going through some struggles, but the more time they get, the better they will become, and that is what matters.