The Colorado Avalanche were thrown a bit of a curveball last week when they lost Valeri Nichushkin indefinitely as he entered the NHL’s player assistance program. While no one is going to blame Nichushkin for reaching out for help, the forward’s absence loomed large – particularly since he was in the midst of a career year.
Like many teams, the Avalanche have been craving depth scoring for some time now. When they needed it most, a familiar face stepped up to make it happen. Logan O’Connor is having a career year in his own right, and he’s emerged as an offensive force – culminating in his first career hat trick on Saturday (Jan. 20) against the Philadelphia Flyers. Don’t look now, but Colorado’s answers to their depth scoring might have been on the roster all along.
O’Connor Having His Best Season
Since joining the Avalanche in 2018, O’Connor had never scored double-digit goals in a season, and was largely looked at as a minor contributor that was solid on the penalty kill. He became a full-time player in the 2021-22 season, playing in 81 games while helping Colorado to its third Stanley Cup. The best season of his career came last season, when he scored a modest nine goals and 17 assists for 26 points – all career highs.
He started this season with a flurry, racking up three short-handed goals in three consecutive games back in October. That set him on pace for his first season with double-digit goals, but O’Connor isn’t stopping there. He’s piled up six goals and 11 points in his last 10 games, averaging 16:03 of ice time in those contests. He’s never averaged more than 14:12 per game in any season of his career.
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While Saturday’s hat trick bumps things up, O’Connor could flirt with a 20-goal campaign. He’s still doing all of his good work on the penalty kill, but he’s making a lot more noise in even-strength situations this season. At plus-16, he leads the Avalanche in plus/minus, and his 15.9 shooting percentage is nearly double his previous best in any full season (8.7 percent in 2022-23). The 27-year-old looks like he’s come into his own, and it’s at a time when Colorado really needs it. His recent point surge helped the Avs go 3-2 on their recent five-game road trip, and O’Connor had at least a point in all three wins.
O’Connor Earned This Chance
O’Connor came to the Avalanche after a solid three-year stint with the University of Denver, and had two top-notch seasons with the Colorado Eagles – the Avalanche’s American Hockey League affiliate. He scored 31 goals and 67 points in 104 games with the Eagles before getting pulled up to the NHL full-time in 2020-21. He played in just 22 games that first season, but has steadily and surely improved his game each season.
Consistent improvement has become one of his hallmarks. O’Connor has increased his scoring each season, and has proven to be durable. He has missed two games this season, and missed just one game over the previous two campaigns. Not only has his goals, assists, points, and plus/minus improved every year, but he’s also gotten more playing time each season. He averaged just 6:49 per game in his first season, and is just under 15 minutes per game now.
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Most of the increase in minutes came from his hard work on the penalty kill, but he’s more than just a scrapper when his team is a man down. He’s scored at least a point in 10 of the team’s last 14 games, and that includes a trio of multi-point games – including a goal and assist in a comeback win against the Ottawa Senators on Jan. 16. Of course, he’s likely to have ups and downs like any scorer, but at least the Avalanche know they have another player that’s capable of going on these types of runs – which can be invaluable during playoff time.
What O’Connor’s Emergence Means for Colorado
With injuries and other issues, O’Connor has gotten some time in the top six this season, and he’s shown that he can skate valuable minutes up there, as well. As the combination of O’Connor, Ross Colton, and Miles Wood has gained traction, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar has bumped them up to the second line. The trio hasn’t slowed down. That combo has combined for 11 goals this season – making them the third-highest scoring line on the club. The other two combinations that have scored more for the Avalanche both include Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen.
There’s no doubt that Colorado’s lineup is very top-heavy. MacKinnon is in full-fledged beast mode with 77 points through 47 games. He and Rantanen are tied for the team lead with 22 goals. Cale Makar is having another fantastic campaign that could earn him another Norris Trophy, and Nichushkin’s 22 goals are just three shy of his career best. But then things drop off. O’Connor’s 11 goals are fourth on the team, meaning the Avalanche will take the depth scoring where they can get it.
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O’Connor likely won’t ever turn into a Hart Trophy candidate, but Colorado already has one. In 2023-24, he’s giving the Avalanche something they were searching for this offseason – a consistent depth scorer they can play anywhere. His versatility makes him a threat in a variety of situations, and that’s just what the Avalanche were searching for when they brought in the likes of Colton, Wood, Jonathan Drouin, Tomas Tatar (who’s already been traded), and Ryan Johansen this offseason. O’Connor has proven just as valuable – or more valuable – than any of those additions. If he keeps improving, he could become a fixture in the top six in Colorado for years to come.