The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the organization has signed forward Jere Innala to a one-year, entry-level contract for the 2024-25 season.
Innala, 26, played for Frolunda in the SHL during the 2023-24 season, recording 28 points (16g/12a) in 42 regular-season games. The forward shared the team-lead in goals, ranked fourth on the club in points and tied for seventh in assists. In 14 playoff games, Innala added 15 points (11g/4a) to pace all SHL skaters in goals and points before the Indians fell in a winner-take-all Game 7 of the SHL semifinals. The Hauho, Finland native finished his 2023-24 campaign representing his country at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, posting five points (2g/3a) in eight games.
The 5-foot-9, 183-pound forward spent the last two seasons with Frolunda, tallying 54 points (26g/28a) in 94 regular-season games and added 20 points (13g/7a) in 24 SHL Playoff games from 2022-24. Prior to making the move to the SHL, Innala played professionally for the SM-Liiga’s HPK and HIFK programs from 2016-22, registering 181 points (86g/95a) in 290 regular-season contests. In 2018-19, Innala posted 24 goals in the regular season to set a professional career-high and chipped in 11 points (2g/9) in 18 Liiga playoff games to help HPK capture the league championship. The forward’s final campaign in the Liiga saw him notch professional career-highs in assists (30) and points (48) during the regular season with HIFK.
Innala also played two games in the Mestis during the 2016-18 campaigns. Prior to turning pro, he competed in in Finland’s junior circuit over parts of the 2015-17 seasons where he totaled 66 points (35g/31a) in 72 regular-season showings. HPK’s under-20 club won the junior league’s championship in 2016-17 with Innala contributing five points (3g/2a) in nine playoff games.
On the international stage, Innala has represented Finland at the World Championships on three occasions, capturing a gold medal at the 2022 event and a silver medal one year earlier in 2021. He also competed in the 2018 World Junior Championship.
