Joel Kiviranta

Last updated

Joel Kiviranta
12-01-20-yog-1149.jpg
Kiviranta with Finland in 2012
Born (1996-03-23) March 23, 1996 (age 29)
Vantaa, Finland
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Forward
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams
Colorado Avalanche
Jokerit
Vaasan Sport
Dallas Stars
National teamFlag of Finland.svg  Finland
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 2013present

Joel Kiviranta (born March 23, 1996) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Contents

Playing career

On 12 November 2013, Kiviranta made his Liiga debut playing with Jokerit against the Espoo Blues during the 2013–14 Liiga season. [1]

In the 2018–19 Liiga season, his fifth year with Vaasan Sport, Kiviranta tallied 31 points in 48 games. His 16 goals were third on the team however he was unable to propel Sport to the post-season.

Undrafted, Kiviranta used his NHL-out clause with Sport to sign a two-year, entry-level contract with the Dallas Stars on 1 June 2019. [2] His first NHL goal was an even strength goal against the New Jersey Devils on 1 February 2020, against the goaltender Louis Domingue to give the Dallas Stars a 2–1 lead, and they went on to win the game in overtime 3–2. [3]

On 4 September 2020, Kiviranta, who was called up as a Black Ace for the Stars, substituted in for injured Stars forward Andrew Cogliano in the seventh and decisive game of the Second Round of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche. He helped send the Stars into the Conference Finals by scoring a hat-trick, including the game-winning overtime goal. [4]

On 31 July 2021, the Stars re-signed Kiviranta to a two-year, $2.1 million contract extension. [5]

On 28 August 2023, Kiviranta agreed to a professional tryout with the Avalanche to attend their 2023 training camp. [6] He was released from the agreement on 5 October, but was invited to attend the training camp of the Avalanche's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. [7] On 11 October, the Eagles signed Kiviranta to a one-year contract. [8] He began the 2023–24 season with six points in ten games. On 12 November, the Avalanche signed Kiviranta to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000. [9] He made his debut for the team on 15 November, recording one goal and two assists in an 8-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. [10] Despite the initial offensive outburst, Kiviranta settled into a fourth-line utility role, and continued with the Avalanche for the remainder of the season, finishing with 3 goals and 9 points through 56 regular season appearances. In the playoffs, Kiviranta was originally slated to be a healthy scratch, however was inserted into the lineup through injury to Jonathan Drouin. Known to elevate his game in the post-season, he added a goal and assist through the first-round series win over the Winnipeg Jets. He finished with 8 appearances as the Avalanche fell to former club, the Dallas Stars, in the second-round. [11]

As a pending free agent, Kiviranta was re-signed by the Avalanche to a one-year, $775,000 contract for the 2024–25 season on 1 July 2024. [12] He suited up in 79 regular-season games and set career-highs with 16 goals and 23 points while and notching his first two career game-winning goals. Kiviranta also registered his first three career multi-goal performances, two of which took place in the month of December. Among them was Kiviranta’s first career regular-season hat trick in a 5-2 victory against the Seattle Kraken on 22 December 2024. [13]

Kiviranta made his 100th regular season appearance with the Avalanche on 11 January 2025, and in the post-season he registered 1 assist through 7 games in suffering a playoff exit to former club, the Dallas Stars, for the second consecutive season. [14]

Having completed his contract, Kiviranta was an un-signed after a month into free-agency before opting to return for a third year with the Avalanche in re-signing to a one-year, $1.25 million contract for the 2025–26 season on 8 August 2025. [15]

International play

Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2019 Slovakia

Kiviranta was selected to make his senior international debut with Finland at the 2019 IIHF World Championship held in Bratislava, Slovakia. [16] He finished with 2 goals and 3 points in 9 games to help Finland claim the gold medal in a victory over Canada on May 26, 2019. [17]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2011–12 Jokerit FIN U1810246042022
2011–12JokeritFIN U20204154
2012–13JokeritFIN U1811012104262
2012–13JokeritFIN U20407132035
2013–14JokeritFIN U1821230926812
2013–14JokeritFIN U20381819374040000
2013–14 Jokerit Liiga 10002
2014–15 Sport FIN U2065056
2014–15 SportLiiga47851310
2015–16SportFIN U2011120
2015–16 SportLiiga4866122220000
2015–16 Hermes Mestis 10112
2016–17 SportLiiga5811102120
2017–18 SportLiiga5919183724
2018–19 SportLiiga4816153118
2019–20 Texas Stars AHL 4812112325
2019–20 Dallas Stars NHL 111014145164
2020–21 Dallas StarsNHL2665116
2021–22 Dallas StarsNHL561671070114
2022–23 Dallas StarsNHL7081940151452
2023–24 Colorado Eagles AHL102468
2023–24 Colorado Avalanche NHL563691281124
2024–25 Colorado AvalancheNHL79167232070002
Liiga totals26160541149620000
NHL totals2983525609251771416

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2012 Finland IH18 Silver medal icon.svg50000
2013 Finland U17 7th52240
2013 Finland U18 Bronze medal icon.svg70000
2013 FinlandIH185th42134
2014 FinlandU186th510118
2019 Finland WC Gold medal icon.svg92130
Junior totals2653822
Senior totals92130

References

  1. "OTTELUTILASTOT - 12.11.2013 - Jokerit - Blues - LIIGA" [Game summary - 12.11.2013 - Jokerit - Blues - LIIGA]. Jatkoaika (in Finnish). November 12, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
  2. "Stars sign Forward Joel Kiviranta". NHL.com. Dallas Stars. June 1, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  3. "Pavelski scores in OT to lift Stars over Devils 3-2". ESPN. February 1, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  4. O'Brien, James (September 4, 2020). "Stars win Game 7 OT thriller vs. Avalanche; Joel Kiviranta unlikely hat trick hero". NBC Sports. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  5. "Stars sign forward Joel Kiviranta to two-year, $2.1M contract". Sportsnet.ca. July 31, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  6. "Avalanche's Joel Kiviranta: Agrees to professional tryout". CBS Sports . August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  7. "Joel Kiviranta: Released by Colorado". CBS Sports . Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  8. "COLORADO EAGLES ADD FORWARDS KIVIRANTA, HOLLAND". Colorado Eagles . Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  9. "Avalanche Sign Forward Joel Kiviranta". Colorado Avalanche . November 12, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  10. Boulding, Ryan. "Avalanche pull away, score 8 in win against Ducks". National Hockey League . Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  11. "Once an Avalanche killer, Joel Kiviranta is showing his value as a depth player". The Denver Post. April 26, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  12. "Avalanche signs Joel Kiviranta". Colorado Avalanche. July 1, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  13. "Kiviranta has natural hat-trick, Avalanche defeat Kraken". National Hockey League. December 22, 2024. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
  14. "Hellebuyck gets 6th shutout of the season as Jets beat Avalanche 3-0". ESPN. January 11, 2025. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  15. "Avalanche signs Kiviranta". Colorado Avalanche. August 8, 2025. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
  16. Malmberg, Henna (May 5, 2019). "Miesten MM-kisat käyntiin perjantaina - Suomen MM-joukkue valittu" [Men's World Cup kicks off on Friday - Finnish World Championship team selected]. leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  17. "Finland defeats Canada for Gold Medal at World Championship". The Sports Network. May 26, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2019.