The Colorado Avalanche are keeping Joel Kiviranta around for at the very least one other yr after the forward enjoyed a breakout 2024-25 season. The Avs and the 29-year-old agreed to a one-year contract extension price $1.25 million, the team announced on Friday.
“Joel is a hard-working, responsible player who has demonstrated he could be a key contributor at five-on-five,” general manager Chris MacFarland said within the official release. “He has been a useful member of our lineup, and we’re excited to have him back for one more season.”
Kiviranta set profession highs in goals (16), assists (seven) and points (23) last season, appearing in 79 games — probably the most he’s ever played — while averaging 12:31 in time on ice per contest. He was held pointless in Round 1 against the Dallas Stars, a series Colorado lost in seven games.
Still, it was an encouraging campaign; Kiviranta saw increased deployment all year long, even getting a few possibilities with Colorado’s top-nine. His 19 percent shooting rate — in comparison with his profession average of 10.9 percent — actually helps to elucidate those numbers. He was also apt defensively, and finished third on the Avs with 114 hits.
The Vantaa, Finland native originally joined the squad in 2023-24, turning an expert tryout right into a one-year pact with the American Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles. He was called up after just 10 games and hasn’t been back to the AHL since.
After chipping in nine points in 56 regular season games following the promotion, Kiviranta added a goal and an assist in eight appearances within the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
This past campaign, the previous undrafted forward increased those totals significantly, earning him a 3rd consecutive one-year extension with the Avalanche. His second take care of the club — signed on July 1, 2024 — was price $775,000, so his profession season earned him a raise.
Kiviranta originally broke into the National Hockey League with the Stars, signing a two-year deal in 2019 and helping the team reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2020.
Avalanche look ready for training camp
After Kiviranta’s signing, the Avalanche have 14 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders under contract for 2025-26, per PuckPedia. Unless MacFarland and the front office attempt to make one other add or two in the subsequent several weeks, this will likely be the presumed roster coming out of coaching camp in September.
After a few disappointing playoff losses following capturing Lord Stanley in 2022, Colorado is seeking to recover from the hump and convey a championship back to Denver.
Retaining Kiviranta is a pleasant piece of business in that quest, and the forward depth improves with the move. With winger Logan O’Connor starting the season on injured reserve, that is much more vital. It would not be surprising if the Finn got a crack at a third-line role come opening night.
With Brock Nelson locked up for 3 years, Brent Burns added to the blue line, and Gabriel Landeskog back to full health, the Avalanche project to be considered one of the highest teams within the Western Conference in 2025-26. It’ll be interesting to see in the event that they could make a deep run next spring.