The Colorado Avalanche locked up another key player for a long time.
Logan O’Connor, who has become a critical complementary player for the Avs since signing as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Denver, signed a six-year contract extension Monday, the club announced.
O’Connor is in the final year of his current contract, so this deal runs through 2031. The average annual value is $2.5 million, a source confirmed to the Denver Post. It is the same contract, in years and AAV, that Colorado gave Miles Wood before last season.
Both Wood and O’Connor have been third-line wings for the Avs when the full compliment of forwards are available, though either or both could move up in the lineup to start this season with Valeri Nichushkin, Gabe Landeskog and potentially Artturi Lehkonen not available.
O’Connor had a career-high 13 goals in only 57 games this past season. He had 25 points, one shy of his personal best, before his 2023-24 campaign ended in early March.
He had season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip. The injury first occurred six years prior, but didn’t become something that affected his ability to play at his top level until last season. O’Connor had a full summer to rehabilitate the injury and is healthy to start this season, which will be his fourth as a full-time NHL player.
“We are thrilled to have ‘OC’ under contract for the next seven years,” Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said in a team statement. “He is a relentless worker and competitor who brings energy and grit to the lineup every night. His speed and skating ability makes him a dangerous two-way player and he is one of our top penalty killers. Logan is also a great teammate and takes pride in being a part of the Denver community.”
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