Today, the Dallas Stars celebrate Joel Kiviranta, the Vantaa, Finland‑born forward who turns 28 years old and made a notable impact during his NHL career with the Dallas Stars.

Kiviranta signed with Dallas as an undrafted free agent in 2019 after strong play in Finland’s Liiga and made his NHL debut that same season. Over four seasons from 2019 to 2023, he appeared in 163 games, scoring 16 goals and 12 assists for 28 points.

One of the most unforgettable moments of his career came in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs when Kiviranta scored a hat trick including an overtime winner to help send the Stars to the Western Conference Finals.

After joining the Colorado Avalanche, Kiviranta continued to develop as a valuable depth forward recording 22 goals and 19 assists for 41 points through 174 games across three seasons. He's been injured for most of this season with nine points in just 39 games.