It’s been a long road back to the Avalanche lineup for Logan O’Connor. After undergoing offseason hip surgery, the Avs winger missed the first 69 games on the 2025-26 season. Since his March 24th return to the Avalanche lineup, O’Connor has made a large impact on the ice. In 13 games to close out the regular season, O’Connor ranked fifth among Colorado forwards in shorthanded time on ice per game (1:23) and played a huge role on the team’s penalty kill.
In the playoffs, O’Connor has raised his game. He scored the game-winning goal in Game One of Round One against the Los Angeles Kings and played a huge role in the Avalanche’s stout defensive effort against the Kings, allowing five goals over a four-game series. Additionally, he ranked fifth among Avs forwards in shorthanded time on ice per game (1:36) in the First Round for a Colorado penalty kill that went 13/16 (81.3%) against Los Angeles.
During his rehab, O’Connor said he used returning for the playoffs as motivation.
“Being there (the playoffs) when [it] matters most is something that pushed me along the way,” O’Connor said. “Being part of the fight with the guys, this is what it’s all about. This is what you play all year for. This is what I rehabbed all year for, is to come back at the right time. And it has definitely paid dividends now that I’ve gotten in games and gotten to compete with the guys and the intensity of the playoffs and it’s just so much fun being out there.”
So far in the playoffs, O’Connor’s line has been successful, and he said it starts with their forecheck.
“The forecheck feeds our game,” O’Connor said after Wednesday’s practice. “We know that it all comes down to work habits [and] details. I think that’s something all of us pride ourselves [on]. We’re not gonna out-skill lines, but we’re gonna go there and out-compete lines every night, or at least do our best at doing that.”
Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar highlighted O’Connor’s compete level while adding that his timing and puck play has continued to improve since his return.
“I think you see his game really start to round into form in the playoffs,” Bednar on Wednesday. “Because he’s never gonna cheat you on effort, competitiveness [and] all those things. It’s just getting your body in tuned in and up to speed to where the game is at this time of year, and he’s done a really nice job of it.”
With 17 games between the regular season and playoffs under his belt this season, O’Connor has returned form and been a key cog for an Avs team that begins Round Two against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.
