The Colorado Avalanche can’t quit Joel Kiviranta.
The team and veteran left wing agreed to a one-year contract for the third consecutive season, the team announced Friday morning. The salary number was not disclosed.
Kiviranta is coming off a productive year in Colorado, with the 29-year-old Vantaa, Finland, native accumulating 23 points (16 goals, seven assists) over 79 games during the regular season. His postseason performance, however, was a dud statistically with zero points over seven games against his former team, the Dallas Stars.
Still, the Avs couldn’t resist bringing back the depth scorer after he notched three multi-goal performances last season in his best NHL campaign to date. That included a hat trick against Seattle on Dec. 22. He has totaled 32 points in 135 games in his two seasons in Colorado.
“Joel is a hard-working, responsible player who has demonstrated he can be a key contributor at five-on-five,” a statement from Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland read in the release announcing Kiviranta’s signing. “He has been a valuable member of our lineup, and we are excited to have him back for another season.”
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound forward will likely cross 300 career NHL games early on this upcoming season. He has 60 points in 298 regular-season games over six NHL seasons. He’s appeared in the playoffs in five of those seasons, totaling 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 51 postseason games.
Kiviranta originally signed with the Stars as an undrafted free agent in May 2019, and he spent the past two seasons on league minimum deals with the Avs.
