January 4, 2026 • 5 mins
The "Meet The Kraken" series powered by Mechanics Bank: Mike Benton in a sit-down with Kraken forward Eeli Tolvanen.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's time to meet the Krackling powered by Mechanics Bank,
Trusted Community first banking with deep Northwest roots and thirty
plus branches. Visit Mechanicsbank dot com Mechanics Bank where relationships
metter member FDI see Ellie Tolby.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Then back once you get up front here for the
krack and Ellie thank you again for a few moments.
Great to see you once again. Hope the summer was well.
And I'll first begin with this is your fourth partially
full season here in Seattle. So what was the perception
about this place when you got here and how do
you look at it now?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
I mean, it's been awesome, really enjoyed every second here.
The guys are great, the city is great, the fence
are off awesome.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
You know, the facilities are awesome too.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
So you know, I've been enjoying every second ever since
I got here. It was kind of a nice moment
and yeah, I really love to hear.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Now we have been through this before, but there's always
a door open to change your mind. Give me three
NHL players from Finland you loved growing up watching and
you put out there for three on three with a
trip to the playoffs on the line it be old
school players or it can be old school too.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
All right, well, I probably have to start a d Hayscannen.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Yeah, it's probably one of the best finished demonds, probably
tem Oslani and bark Up.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
All you had to do is feed team of Sloni
all day, right, yeah, seas upper corner. You have two brothers.
When's the last time you had a chance to play
a game with them as first pick up?
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Not all us three together, but uh, I got a
chance to play against my middle brother World Championship last year.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Uh. He was in Austria national team, so that was
pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
You had a chance to sit together for nearly half
a year in the same room together. What's the funniest
thing that you've ever heard Coppocaco say? Oh boy, there's
plenty of them.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
Yeah, there is. I don't know where it started.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
I mean kind of living with him, uh when he
got here, and right now he's living with us too,
so it's every day, you know, he comes up with
something crazy. Either he's in Finnish or not that much
in English, but in Finnish.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
He's he's a hilarious guy.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
But I don't think there's just the one thing that
you know, he's just one of those goofy guys.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
What do you admire about Coppo Coco as a roommate, Well,
I feel.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Like he takes care of himself pretty well.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
You know, he's always, you know when he's living with us,
you know, always trying to help, you know, even if
it's during dinner or doing dishes, all like all that stuff.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
And it's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
You know, his couple years younger, but he still has
that you know mindstitute that he wants to help.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
And we're still a few months away. But what would
a trip to the Olympics mean for you both?
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Uh? Yeah, it would be a dream come true.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
I feel like everybody once playing the Olympics, and of
course for the team Finland for us, you know, Field's
a little smaller country, so there's a maybe a better
chance to make it. But yeah, it would have been
It would be awesome. You know, it's it would be
not bit of hockey and you know, first time really
putting the jersey on with you know, every NHL player
(03:07):
on it.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Now you get to this part of your career, you
have a lot of money here to spend and try
to take care of yourself. And it also means what
you wear here on a nightly basis to the game.
What's the one teammate that you admire for his elite
suit game?
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I know, I gotta go right now. I feel like
Kubar has some nice suits. Vince Done, I feel like
he always has nice fading suits.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
So what's the most important attire for you on and
off day? Is a sweatpants? Is a sweatshirt? Is a
golf shirt? Pants?
Speaker 4 (03:34):
No shorts?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Shorts?
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Yeah, that's what I always wear at house and even
when it's kind of chilly outside, when you know you
go to the course here run, I always have my shorts on.
So it's at crazy, but yeah, I couldn't live without
my shorts.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Let's go back to last season here for a little bit.
Last time you cracked twenty goals was in a different league.
Where do you feel you've grown most in your game
over the last six years?
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Just overall game. I feel like.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Defensive game and take a big step in a better
direction overall. You know, physicality, you know battle readiness. I
think that's that's a key factor.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
On that too.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
And you know when you play play good all around hockey,
you get more going chances and you get the opportunity
to offensively.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Do we talk a lot about your shot as a
vital part of your game. Defensively, that's a big part
as well, and it's something that's always gotten a lot
of credit. But what's the most important thing a coach
ever told you about playing on the defensive side of
the puck.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
I don't know if there's something one thing, but you know,
growing up kind of wanted to be the offensive guy,
and you know, some situations they're like, you've got to
be more le reliable and not defensively if you want
to play on the last last couple of minutes of
the game. So I think those things just a little
mindsets that you know, it's not always West quring, just
having the team.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
New coach, some new teammates as well. For this year,
where do you want the mindset of this team to
be all year round?
Speaker 3 (04:56):
A playoffs for sure? I think, you know, start with
the camp. I think we just have to have the
mindset that, you know, we'd have to bring the playoff
hockey back, and you know, I think the last couple
of years it has been a kind of a step back.
But I feel like they might just have to be
there that you know, we want to play for something
in April and June.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
The mindset is there. Ellie, appreciate you as always, Thank you,
thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
You're home for the crack Sports Radio ninety three point
three k j R f M
It's time to meet the Krackling powered by Mechanics Bank,
Trusted Community first banking with deep Northwest roots and thirty
plus branches. Visit Mechanicsbank dot com Mechanics Bank where relationships
metter member FDI see Ellie Tolby.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Then back once you get up front here for the
krack and Ellie thank you again for a few moments.
Great to see you once again. Hope the summer was well.
And I'll first begin with this is your fourth partially
full season here in Seattle. So what was the perception
about this place when you got here and how do
you look at it now?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
I mean, it's been awesome, really enjoyed every second here.
The guys are great, the city is great, the fence
are off awesome.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
You know, the facilities are awesome too.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
So you know, I've been enjoying every second ever since
I got here. It was kind of a nice moment
and yeah, I really love to hear.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Now we have been through this before, but there's always
a door open to change your mind. Give me three
NHL players from Finland you loved growing up watching and
you put out there for three on three with a
trip to the playoffs on the line it be old
school players or it can be old school too.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
All right, well, I probably have to start a d Hayscannen.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Yeah, it's probably one of the best finished demonds, probably
tem Oslani and bark Up.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
All you had to do is feed team of Sloni
all day, right, yeah, seas upper corner. You have two brothers.
When's the last time you had a chance to play
a game with them as first pick up?
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Not all us three together, but uh, I got a
chance to play against my middle brother World Championship last year.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Uh. He was in Austria national team, so that was
pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
You had a chance to sit together for nearly half
a year in the same room together. What's the funniest
thing that you've ever heard Coppocaco say? Oh boy, there's
plenty of them.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
Yeah, there is. I don't know where it started.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
I mean kind of living with him, uh when he
got here, and right now he's living with us too,
so it's every day, you know, he comes up with
something crazy. Either he's in Finnish or not that much
in English, but in Finnish.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
He's he's a hilarious guy.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
But I don't think there's just the one thing that
you know, he's just one of those goofy guys.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
What do you admire about Coppo Coco as a roommate, Well,
I feel.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Like he takes care of himself pretty well.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
You know, he's always, you know when he's living with us,
you know, always trying to help, you know, even if
it's during dinner or doing dishes, all like all that stuff.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
And it's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
You know, his couple years younger, but he still has
that you know mindstitute that he wants to help.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
And we're still a few months away. But what would
a trip to the Olympics mean for you both?
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Uh? Yeah, it would be a dream come true.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
I feel like everybody once playing the Olympics, and of
course for the team Finland for us, you know, Field's
a little smaller country, so there's a maybe a better
chance to make it. But yeah, it would have been
It would be awesome. You know, it's it would be
not bit of hockey and you know, first time really
putting the jersey on with you know, every NHL player
(03:07):
on it.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Now you get to this part of your career, you
have a lot of money here to spend and try
to take care of yourself. And it also means what
you wear here on a nightly basis to the game.
What's the one teammate that you admire for his elite
suit game?
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I know, I gotta go right now. I feel like
Kubar has some nice suits. Vince Done, I feel like
he always has nice fading suits.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
So what's the most important attire for you on and
off day? Is a sweatpants? Is a sweatshirt? Is a
golf shirt? Pants?
Speaker 4 (03:34):
No shorts?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Shorts?
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Yeah, that's what I always wear at house and even
when it's kind of chilly outside, when you know you
go to the course here run, I always have my shorts on.
So it's at crazy, but yeah, I couldn't live without
my shorts.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Let's go back to last season here for a little bit.
Last time you cracked twenty goals was in a different league.
Where do you feel you've grown most in your game
over the last six years?
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Just overall game. I feel like.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Defensive game and take a big step in a better
direction overall. You know, physicality, you know battle readiness. I
think that's that's a key factor.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
On that too.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
And you know when you play play good all around hockey,
you get more going chances and you get the opportunity
to offensively.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Do we talk a lot about your shot as a
vital part of your game. Defensively, that's a big part
as well, and it's something that's always gotten a lot
of credit. But what's the most important thing a coach
ever told you about playing on the defensive side of
the puck.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
I don't know if there's something one thing, but you know,
growing up kind of wanted to be the offensive guy,
and you know, some situations they're like, you've got to
be more le reliable and not defensively if you want
to play on the last last couple of minutes of
the game. So I think those things just a little
mindsets that you know, it's not always West quring, just
having the team.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
New coach, some new teammates as well. For this year,
where do you want the mindset of this team to
be all year round?
Speaker 3 (04:56):
A playoffs for sure? I think, you know, start with
the camp. I think we just have to have the
mindset that, you know, we'd have to bring the playoff
hockey back, and you know, I think the last couple
of years it has been a kind of a step back.
But I feel like they might just have to be
there that you know, we want to play for something
in April and June.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
The mindset is there. Ellie, appreciate you as always, Thank you,
thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
You're home for the crack Sports Radio ninety three point
three k j R f M
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