Avalanche forward takes leave after sudden death of his father and former NHLer
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Former NHLer Myles O'Connor has died at 59, and his son Logan O'Connor is stepping away from the Colorado Avalanche to be with his family.
The hockey world lost one of its own on Thursday night.
Former NHL defenseman Myles O'Connor has died suddenly at the age of 59, the Colorado Avalanche announced.
The timing made it even harder to take.
Myles was the father of Avalanche winger Logan O'Connor, and the team shared the news just hours before facing the Calgary Flames, in the city the O'Connor family calls home.
No cause of death has been made public.
Logan O'Connor steps away from the Avalanche
Logan is taking a personal leave of absence to be with his family, and there is no timeline for his return.
He had been working back from a lower-body injury suffered in the preseason and was in line to make his 2026-27 debut in Calgary or Saturday at home against Toronto.
Hockey can wait. The Avalanche said their thoughts are with Logan and the O'Connor family during this difficult time.
Colorado went out and beat the Flames 7-3 that night, a small bit of good on an awful day for a player the room clearly cares about.
Remembering Myles O'Connor
Myles was a third-round pick of the New Jersey Devils, going 45th overall in 1985, after captaining the University of Michigan in his senior year.
He played 43 NHL games with the Devils and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the early 1990s, then finished his pro career in Japan with the Nippon Paper Cranes.
Away from the rink, he ran O'Connors, a Calgary clothing store that has been part of the community since 1958.
Logan followed his dad into pro hockey, starred at the University of Denver, and won a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.
Our thoughts are with the O'Connor family.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
Stan Bowman urged to make a bold move for star Red Wings defenseman despite major trade hurdle
Stan Bowman urged to make a bold move for star Red Wings defenseman despite major trade hurdle