Predators prospect sets KHL record after sniping a hat trick in his first career game



NHL scouts and analysts expected 18-year-old Eeli Tolvanen to get drafted somewhere in the first half of the 2017 NHL Draft, so when the Nashville Predators selected the Finnish forward near the end of the first round with the 30th overall pick a lot of people considered it a steal.

Dream come true. Honored to be part of @PredsNHL organization #Smashville — Eeli Tolvanen (@eeli1999) June 24, 2017

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Currently playing with Jokerit in the KHL, Tolvanen made his debut on Wednesday night and it was a memorable one.

Less than five minutes into the first period, the former Sioux City Musketeer got his first career point with an assist on Brian O’Neill’s first goal of the season and he was just getting started. Just over one minute into the third period, Tolvanen helped extend his team’s with a beautiful goal.



Anyone would be happy with a goal and an assist in their professional debut, but Tolvanen had plenty more where that came from and added two more goals in the final frame to complete his first career KHL hat trick in his first career KHL game.



Nothing but net for #Preds prospect Eeli Tolvanen tonight. Here is his hat-trick for Jokerit against Dinamo Minsk... pic.twitter.com/UhPWhKiJ8u — Alex Nunn (@aj_ranger) August 23, 2017

Tolvanen ended up setting the KHL record for youngest hat trick in league history as Jokerit cruised to a 6-1 victory over Dinamo Minsk.



Eeli Tolvanen is on pace for...



*counting, 3 goals x 56 games*



...168 goals in his debut KHL season. That would be fun. — KHL (@khl_eng) August 23, 2017

He even got a shoutout after the game from the greatest Finnish player of all-time.



Loistava KHL avaus Jokerit ja hat trick @eeli1999 aivan fantastista, tosin ei yllätys, USHL seuranneena tiesin että tästä pojasta kuullaan👍 https://t.co/oPueQTpoGU — Teemu Selanne (@TeemuSel8nne) August 23, 2017

The kid has a very bright future ahead of him if he keeps this up.

(H/T KHL)