The Colorado Avalanche brought back fan favorite Joel Kivirantea on a one-year, $1.25 million deal. The contract ends speculation about the 29-year-old forward’s NHL future. Rumors had been circulating about Kiviranta being a target for various clubs looking to round out their bottom six.
Kiviranta is coming off back-to-back $775K deals with the Avalanche. Last season, the Finnish forward appeared in 79 games, scoring 16 goals and totaling 23 points, playing predominantly in a fourth-line role.
This upcoming season, Kiviranta should be in the mix for a slot in the bottom six, but could play on the third line. The Avalanche need all the bodies they can get after shipping out Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Kiviranta has earned a place among Colorado Avalanche fans, fast becoming a favorite thanks to his timely goals and gritty, grinding style.
The AAV on Kiviranta’s contract exceeds most expectations, but could be a solid value deal if he can replicate the goal total he had from last season.
Colorado Avalanche demonstrate commitment to depth with Kiviranta signing
The Colorado Avalanche demonstrated their commitment to bolstering the team's depth by signing Kiviranta.
Last year, the Avs were plagued by a lack of depth as injuries mounted. Now, the club has plenty of options across the board. If injuries become an issue once again, coach Jared Bednar will have various weapons to draw from.
Depending on how things go in training camp, fans shouldn’t be surprised to find the club giving Joel Kiviranta a shot in the middle six. He’s proven to be a team player at all times. So, the Avalanche could reward Kiviranta with a shot at playing higher in the lineup.
In the meantime, Kiviranta figures to be a fixture on the club’s bottom-six core. Avs faithful will get plenty of Kiviranta’s heroics throughout the 2025-26 season.