Young forward to stab team in the back and leave overseas?!

Many fans expected one specific prospect to crack a National Hockey League roster this summer... and we bet, the kid did too. Forward Eeli Tolvanen left the Nashville Predators on Wednesday after he was assigned to the team's farm club, the Milwaukee Admirals in the American Hockey League. 

Now the Preds are hoping the 19-year-old forward doesn't leave Milwaukee for the his former KHL team, Jokerit.

The young talented right winger has a clause in his contract allowing him to return to his KHL team (Jokerit) after 10 games with the Milwaukee Admirals. If he returns to the KHL, he’ll be ineligible to return to the NHL for the remainder of the regular season.

"Those are questions for him," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said after Thursday's practice, according to The Tennessean. "I certainly hope not. It's not going to help his game (to return to the KHL).

"Those are decisions that are out of my control. ... But he is under contract with us."

Tolvanen appeared in three games with the Predators at the end of last season, but did not manage to put his name on the scoresheet. Many believe the kid would benefit from spending more time on a smaller ice rink, which is probably why Laviolette believes it would hinder his career in the NHL if he goes back to Russia. 

"If he's not going to get the opportunity here to play, there's no sense having him around as an extra forward. He has to play.

"This is the best way to get him acclimated."

 He added that Tolvanen is a "big part of our future."

Like some fans are being hard on the Predators for sending Tolvanen into the minor, it surely is the best move possible, especially early on in the calendar as the regular season is set to be underway in less than a week. Nashville is obviously hoping some time in the minors will better acquaint him to the North American game after which the young forward could truly be a menace on the ice for this contending team. 

During an interview tweeted by the Admirals, Tolvanen described his first day in Milwaukee as "good." Let's hope for the Preds it gets better and the promising prospect will choose to stay here and be a difference maker in Music City.