The Dallas Stars have re-signed restricted free agent forward Joel Kiviranta to a two-year contract worth $2.1 million, or $1.050 million per season. This contract carries him through the 2022-23 season. Dallas also signed Ben Gleason to a two-way deal with the organization.
🗣️ KIVIIIIIIIII! He's BACK!
We have signed Joel Kiviranta to a 2-year contract through the 2022-23 season.
📝 https://t.co/f7L45rhNjZ pic.twitter.com/33E2qQmlX2
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) July 31, 2021
Joel Kiviranta Re-ups with Stars
Over his two–year NHL career, Kiviranta, has played just for the Dallas Stars. He has put up seven goals and five assists for 12 career points in 37 career games. Dallas originally signed the Vantaa, Finland native as an undrafted free agent in late March 2019.
Last season he scored six goals and five assists for 11 points in an injury-shortened 26 games. He also added six penalty minutes for the 2020-21 campaign. His possession numbers were 55.7 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of 4.0.
Kiviranta emerged as a bright young player in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoff bubble with the club. He netted five goals and one assist in 14 post-season games.
He’s played on the international level for his native Finland and helped them win the gold at the 2019 IIHF World Championships. Kiviranta scored twice in that run to the gold during that tournament.
Gleason has only played in four games and hasn’t been in the NHL since the 2018-19 season. He spent last season with the Texas Stars, where he got four goals and 13 assists for 17 points in 37 games. The defenceman is 23 years old and hails from Ortonville, Mich.
What This Means for the Future
Kiviranta was missed last season and the Stars missed the post-season after reaching the Stanley Cup Final. General manager Jim Nill has been fairly active as he locked down defenceman Miro Heiskanen and signed Ryan Suter to contracts. He also picked up Braden Holtby after being recently bought out.
The Finn will play a role on a team looking to boost its goal-scoring production. Dallas has made some solid moves this season in its quest to get back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
