The Colorado Avalanche can't ignore what Joel Kiviranta just did
Photo credit: Ashley Potts / Mile High Hockey
The Colorado Avalanche are heading into free agency with some difficult choices ahead. With only $8.7 million in available cap space, they'll likely have to part ways with a few notable free agents.
Among the many free agents, another player that the Avalanche need to make a decision on is forward Joel Kiviranta.
The Avalanche can't ignore what Joel Kiviranta just did.
Graham Tiedtke from Mile High Sticking writes that Kiviranta, 29, just wrapped up his second season with the Avalanche, appearing in 79 of 82 regular season games. He posted career highs across several key stats, including games played, goals with 16, assists with 7, a plus minus of +15, and an average ice time of 12:31.
"He's a prime example of someone who just needs to get more and more opportunities and he can show what he's capable of. Kiviranta has fit in very well in the positions he's been put in by the Avalanche and head coach Jared Bednar." -Tiedtke
Kiviranta has shown he can deliver reliable production, but what stands out most is his consistent presence in the lineup and clean bill of health. As a third-line forward, his contributions were a valuable asset for the Avalanche during the 2024-25 season.
Depth scoring was often an issue for the team throughout the season. While Kiviranta found the net in just 12 games, he did go on a notable four-game goal streak in early March.
"He will be cheap to re-sign for the Avalanche and if he continues to impress going forward, he could earn a long-term contract worth more than he's been getting since entering the league in 2019-20 with the Stars." -Tiedtke
Re-signing Kiviranta won't cost the Avs much, and if he keeps trending upward, he could eventually land a more lucrative, long-term deal, something he hasn't had since breaking into the league with the Stars in 2019-20. For the 2025-26 season, he represents a low-risk, high-reward option. It seems like a no brainer to me.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 3 | 38 ANSWERS The Colorado Avalanche can't ignore what Joel Kiviranta just did Do you think the Avalanche should resign Joel Kiviranta this offseason? | ||
| yes | 32 | 84.2 % |
| no | 6 | 15.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
TRENDING NOW
