Eeli Tolvanen was still unsigned as the summer began to wind down and NHLers in Finland started to head back to their workplaces.
“It was totally different,” the 27-year-old forward told Sports+ of his offseason before his first game as a Ranger on Tuesday night in Boston. “A pretty long August before I signed. It was definitely different. You didn’t know where you’re going to end up. What are you going to do with your stuff? I had my stuff in Seattle. You’re waiting in Finland. You need a visa to get here and all that.
“It was a little stressing. Other than that, it’s part of the job. Sometimes, you have to wait for a little longer. I’m happy that I ended up here.”
The Rangers ultimately signed Tolvanen to a one-year, $1.5 million contract just 27 days before Opening Night, adding a fresh third-line option to the mix who is just two seasons removed from a career-high 23-goal campaign.
