DONE DEAL: Avalanche Confirms Another Major six-year contract extension for fantastic star
The Colorado Avalanche have acted quickly to secure one of their key secondary scorers, announcing a six-year contract extension for forward. With his three-year, $3.15 million deal set to expire next summer, he was poised to become an unrestricted free agent. According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, he will earn $2.5 million annually over the length of the new contract.
Although O’Connor grew up in Calgary after his father, Myles O’Connor, retired from professional hockey in 1998, he has spent much of his adult life in Denver. He played three years at the University of Denver from 2015 to 2018, tallying 16 goals and 43 points in 108 games while helping his team win a national championship in 2017.
After his junior season, he signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Avalanche and made his NHL debut the following year.
O’Connor showed promise in his first two years with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles but struggled to establish himself in the NHL, registering only two goals in 21 games in his initial seasons with Colorado. Injuries limited him to three goals and five points in 22 games during the 2020-21 regular season.
He found his stride during the 2021-22 NHL season, scoring eight goals and 24 points in 81 games while averaging just under 14 minutes of ice time per game. He developed into a physical player and an effective penalty killer, becoming an annoying presence for opposing teams.
O’Connor played a key role in helping the Avalanche secure their first Stanley Cup championship since 2001, scoring a goal in Game 3 of the semifinals against the St. Louis Blues and adding three assists in the postseason.
The following season, he scored nine goals and 26 points in 82 games but did not register any points in Colorado’s seven-game loss to the Seattle Kraken in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The 2023-24 season marked a breakout for O’Connor, as he scored 13 goals and 25 points in 57 games, including three goals on the penalty kill, which tied for fifth in the NHL by season’s end. His shooting percentage improved to 15.3%, and Colorado’s third line noticeably suffered after his hip injury cut his season short.
O’Connor is expected to be a significant bottom-six contributor for the Avalanche as they aim to reestablish themselves in a challenging Western Conference. The team hasn’t advanced past the second round of the playoffs since winning the Stanley Cup in 2022, largely due to a lack of depth.
His $2.5 million salary should be manageable for a cash-strapped team like the Avalanche, who hope O’Connor will be a central figure on their third line for years to come.