With less than two weeks until free agency opens and one week until the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Colorado Avalanche have a lot to figure out. Still, they started early this offseason with a critical signing.
The team announced on June 13 that they had signed Finnish forward Jere Innala from Frolunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) to an entry-level contract (ELC) worth $925,000. He can be sent down to the AHL’s (American Hockey League) Colorado Eagles without having to clear waivers. This enables the team to have an inexpensive, skilled player at their disposal, and if he needs time to develop or adjust his game, they can send him down easily.
A statement by Avalanche General Manager Chris MacFarland during a press conference with captain Gabriel Landeskog offered an early indication of what to expect during free agency. With Landeskog’s return from his long-term injury unknown, the situation revolving around Valeri Nichushkin, and eight pending unrestricted free agents)and one restricted free agents on the books, low-value contracts like ELCs will be a key factor in making sure they build the best team possible while remaining under the salary cap while remaining competitive. Here’s a closer look at who Innala is, where he came from, and, more importantly, how he will fit on the team.
Jere Innala’s Origin
Born in Hauho, Finland, the 26-year-old went undrafted and spent six years in Liiga (Finland), mainly playing for HPK. He won a league championship in 2019 and then joined HIFK for the 2021-22 season.
He played in the Champions Hockey League (CHL) with HPK and HIFK in 2019-20 and 2021-22, respectively, but neither of those teams made it out of the group stage. Innala has also represented his country in three of the last four IIHF Men’s World Championships. He played a significant role in helping Finland win gold in 2022 and silver in 2021.
Innala also played a significant role in Frölunda’s journey to the semifinals during the 2022-23 CHL season, scoring nine points in 12 games. However, Frölunda was eliminated by Swedish rival Luleå HF in a shootout in the deciding game. He also participated in last year’s Spengler Cup in Switzerland, where Frölunda lost to HC Davos in the semifinals.
During his two-year tenure with Frölunda HC, he was a consistent goal scorer, recording 26 goals and 54 points in 94 regular-season games. Innala had an outstanding performance…
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