The Colorado Avalanche have signed forward Saku Maenalanen to a professional tryout.

Former Winnipeg Jets forward Saku Maenalanen has put pen to paper on a professional tryout contract with the Colorado Avalanche.

No stranger to the Central Division, the 29-year-old Maenalanen will look to build upon an up-and-down season in Manitoba last year, where he spent the majority of his time alongside Kevin Stenlund, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Sam Gagner on the fourth line. 

In 64 games for Winnipeg in 2022-23, the Tornio, Finland product had four goals and 10 points, to go alongside 16 penalty minutes. Maenalanen also had an assist and 12 penalty minutes in 5 postseason games against Vegas.

Having initially broken into the league with the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2018-19 season, Maenalanen went back home to Finland for three years, where he suited up for Jokerit and then later Karpat.

Maenalanen signed a league-minimum $750K deal last July with Winnipeg, and will look to lock up another contract with the Avalanche following a training camp PTO in Colorado.

In 98 total games between the Hurricanes and Jets, Maenalanen has eight goals, 18 points and 36 penalty minutes. He has an estimated $1.3 million career earnings.