Joel Kiviranta may not be widely recognized, but his role with the Colorado Avalanche is significant.
“Kivi’s always been a pretty consistent player for us. Great season last year on the offensive side of things, even though that’s not what you think of when you think of Kivi,” head coach Jared Bednar said.
READ MORE: Val Nichushkin’s powerful impact on the Colorado Avalanche
The 29-year-old has come a long way as an undrafted player. He began his NHL career by signing a two-year, entry-level contract with the Dallas Stars on May 31, 2019. After four seasons with the Stars organization, he was signed by the Avalanche as a free agent on Nov. 12, 2023.
“He’s such a reliable defender. There’s a heaviness to his game, his detail in his game when it comes to all aspects — forecheck, tracking, rush coverage, D-zone coverage. He does things right, and he’s very consistent at it,” Bednar said.
The Vantaa, Finland native plays on the fourth line with Parker Kelly and Jack Drury. While that line typically gets the least amount of ice time, it has a high level of intensity and grit. It has been successful as of late with solid chemistry among the trio.
“We played as a line last year too, sometimes. We all think about the game same way, so it’s like the chemistry was there already,” Kiviranta said.
The 5-foot-11 forward has three points in 18 games, having missed 17 games due to injury. Although he is not on the scoresheet often, his dependability is crucial to the team’s depth.
“I feel very good playing with them and the confidence on our line, what we do and what works for us,” Kiviranta said. “It just feels good. And confidence is high for us. Of course, we can score a little bit more, but sometimes puck just bounces wrong way, and I’m not too worried about that.”
Watch the full interviews with Kiviranta and Bednar in the player above.
