There are a lot of moving parts with the Colorado Avalanche salary cap right now. The team is looking to retain the core members of their Stanley Cup-winning team in 2022. The reality is, with a season away and expiring contracts, keeping all of those players within the salary cap constraints will be a bit of a challenge.
The team has done a great job renewing the contracts of many of its stars, including Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen and captain Gabriel Landeskog (who hasn't played in two seasons). But role players are also essential to that success, and Logan O'Connor has emerged as a stable force in the Avalanche's bottom six in 2023-24. The club has already brought back Jonathan Drouin on a contract for another season after his breakout season, and they should seriously consider signing O'Connor for a few more seasons.
O'Connor's impact on the Avalanche
O'Connor was a standout at the University of Denver and signed with the Avalanche as an undrafted free agent in the summer of 2018. After a stint with the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League, he made his NHL debut on New Year's Eve 2018. After appearing in just 43 games over his first three seasons, he appeared in 81 games for Colorado during their most recent Cup-winning campaign in 2021-22. He recorded eight goals and 16 assists that season and emerged as a key member of their penalty killing squad.
O'Connor was one of four Avalanche players to play in all 82 games in the 2022-23 season, posting nearly the same numbers as he did last season (9 goals, 17 assists). Last season was supposed to be a breakout season for O'Connor, but he missed time due to knee surgery in March. In 57 games, he scored a career-high 13 goals and had 25 points. Most notably, he scored three shorthanded goals in a three-game span. His penalty-killing ability was on display for much of the season.
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This was a great undrafted bargain for Colorado, and he has only gotten better each season. The surgery was unfortunate, as the Avalanche were without one of their top penalty killers throughout the entire playoffs. O'Connor averaged just a few seconds under 15 minutes on the ice last season, but those minutes were lost. The Avalanche were 12th on the penalty kill last season with a 79.9% rate. In games where O'Connor did not play, that number dropped nearly five points to 74%. He may not make the All-Star Game like some of his teammates, but O'Connor's impact can be seen in nearly every box score with his name on it.
The Avs also face a Rantanen dilemma.
The most important task over the next 12 months will be keeping superstar forward Mikko Rantanen in an Avalanche uniform. Rantanen is also in the final year of his contract this season, which pays a whopping $9.25 million per year. The bad news for Colorado is that number is only going to go up. After scoring 100-plus points for the second straight year, Rantanen is emerging as one of the best offensive players in NHL and franchise history. It may take some magic from general manager Chris McFarland, but this contract weighs heavily on Colorado's future.
This contract would be huge. It's a lot of money for a team that already has three players making over $9 million a season. O'Connor and Rantanen are at completely different salary levels at this point in their careers, but they don't need to give up one to keep the other. The Avalanche can certainly afford and should keep a proven role player like O'Connor on the team. He's another player Colorado found when Joe Sakic was general manager, and O'Connor is still in the prime of his career, so keeping him on the team is important.
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With players like MacKinnon and Makar, the Avalanche should remain competitive for years to come. That would change dramatically if the team can't bring back Rantanen. There are doubts about whether Landeskog can regain his former form, but who knows what will happen after Nichushkin's final few seasons. Resolving Rantanen's contract early would improve the situation and provide some stability.
Keeping Colorado's competitive window open
There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding Colorado this offseason, but the team looks more dangerous than ever entering the 2024-25 season. If some of these contracts aren't completed before puck drop after this season, even more questions will emerge. O'Connor has been a solid bottom-six player the past three seasons and looks set to become even more productive in the future.
It wouldn't cost a fortune to bring O'Connor back. His salary this season is just $1.05 million, which will likely increase only slightly. His steady improvement throughout his NHL career could make him an affordable addition to Colorado's roster. Alongside the stars, a player like O'Connor is something every team wants. He's a solid player who fits into the team's strategy and steps in when the stars need a rest. He was on pace to record his first 20-goal season last season, which is impressive for a bottom-six player.
The Avalanche need O'Connor even if he never gets better. He fits their style, is their best player when they're down one man, and has speed and energy at 5-on-5. O'Connor is everything the Avalanche want and understands his role on the roster. We look at role players as difference-makers every postseason, and at 27 years old, O'Connor has the makings to be one of those guys for years to come.
