Logan O'Connor (born August 14, 1996) is an American-born Canadian professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
forward
Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward.
Forward may also refer to:
People
*Forward (surname)
Sports
* Forward (association football)
* Forward (basketball), including:
** Point forward
** Power forward (basketball)
** Smal ...
for the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL). O'Connor won the
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...
with the Avalanche in
2022
The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
. He has become a fan favourite thanks to his gritty, hard-working style of play.
Early life
O'Connor is the son of former NHL player
Myles O'Connor and was born while his father played for the
Houston Aeros of the
International Hockey League (IHL). He was raised in
Calgary
Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...
, after his father retired from playing.
Playing career
Amateur
O'Connor first played as a bantam and midget within the
Calgary Royals
The Calgary Mustangs were a junior A ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). They played in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, at the Father David Bauer Olympic Arena. They were known as the Calgary Royals from 1990 until 2010. On M ...
organization of the
Alberta Midget Hockey League
The Alberta Elite Hockey League or AEHL (formerly the Alberta Midget Hockey League) is the provincial U18 "AAA" ice hockey league for Alberta, Canada. The league consists of 17 teams split into the North and South Divisions. League champions go ...
(AMHL). Opting to pursue a collegiate career, O'Connor was selected with the 194th overall pick by the
Sioux Falls Stampede
The Sioux Falls Stampede are a Tier I junior ice hockey team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Stampede are members of the Western Conference of the United States Hockey League (USHL). The team plays home games at the Denny Sanford Premi ...
in the 2013
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 active teams located in the Midwestern United States and Great Plains, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. Th ...
(USHL) Entry Draft.
During first junior season with the Stampede in the
2013–14 season, O'Connor committed to the
University of Denver
The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado, United States. Founded in 1864, it has an enrollment of approximately 5,700 undergraduate students and 7,200 graduate students. It is classified among "R1: D ...
of the
National Collegiate Hockey Conference
The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) is an NCAA men's Division I hockey conference. The league was formed on July 9, 2011 and began playing for the 2013–14 season, the same season that the Big Ten Conference began competition, as a ...
(NCHC). As a 17-year-old with Sioux Falls, O'Connor was placed on the checking line and recorded 3 goals and 10 points in 59 games.
In the following
2014–15 season, O'Connor was named
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
of the Stampede and continued his development by increasing his scoring presence in posting 16 goals and 36 points in 58 regular season games. In the postseason, he contributed 10 points in 12 games for Sioux Falls to help capture the
Clark Cup
The United States Hockey League began in 1961 as a semi-professional ice hockey league. Starting with the 1979–80 season, the league became a strictly Amateur league, and began awarding its champion the Clark Cup Trophy. All champions of the USH ...
.
Embarking on his collegiate career with the
Denver Pioneers
The Denver Pioneers are the sports teams of the University of Denver (DU). They play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I, and have amassed 35 NCAA titles as of 2024, which is in the top 15 among all schools (24 in S ...
in the
2015–16 season, O'Connor appeared in 23 games for two goals and two assists as a freshman. In the following
2016–17 season, he became a fixture among the Pioneers checking line, registering 7 goals and 18 points while appearing in all 44 games to help Denver claim the
2017 national championship.
In his junior season in
2017–18, O'Connor again appeared every game with the Pioneers, posting a season-best 21 points while leading the Pioneers with two short-handed goals through 41 games. He helped the Pioneers claim the NCHC championship and was named to the All-Tournament Team. Named as a two-time All-Academic in the NCHC, O'Connor was selected as captain of the Pioneers for his senior season on June 7, 2018.
Professional
At the conclusion of his junior season and following the
2018 NHL entry draft, O'Connor was invited to attend the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
development camp. On July 24, 2018, O'Connor forwent his senior season as captain with the Pioneers in agreeing to a two-year, entry-level contract as an undrafted free agent with the Avalanche.
O'Connor began the
2018–19 season with the Avalanche's
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL) affiliate, the
Colorado Eagles
The Colorado Eagles are a professional ice hockey team based in Loveland, Colorado. The Eagles play in the Pacific Division of the American Hockey League.
The Eagles were founded as an expansion franchise in 2003 in the Central Hockey League and ...
. On December 30, he was recalled by the Avalanche. O'Connor made his debut the following night in a 3–2 loss to the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
. He finished the season with five scoreless appearances for the Avalanche and 42 points in 64 games for the Eagles.
On November 27, 2019, O'Connor scored his first career NHL goal in a 4–1 win over the
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
. He skated in 16 games for the Avalanche during the
2019–20 regular season, and also played in five
2020 playoff games, recording one assist.
On September 18, 2020, the Avalanche re-signed O'Connor to a two-year contract extension.
On September 22, 2021, the Avalanche re-signed O'Connor to a three-year, $3.15 million dollar extension.
On May 21, 2022, O'Connor scored his first career playoff goal in a second round game against the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
.
On January 20, 2024, O'Connor scored his first career hat trick against the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
. On March 10, he was declared out for the rest of the season after undergoing hip surgery to repair an injury that had forced him to miss six games since the All-Star Game break.
Career statistics
Awards and honours
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oconnor, Logan
1996 births
Living people
American ice hockey right wingers
Colorado Avalanche players
Colorado Eagles players
Denver Pioneers men's ice hockey players
Sioux Falls Stampede players
Stanley Cup champions
Undrafted National Hockey League players
NCAA men's ice hockey national champions