The Colorado Avalanche officially activated right winger Logan O’Connor from Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) on Tuesday, clearing the way for him to make his long-awaited season debut tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
O’Connor has missed the first 69 games of the 2025–26 campaign while recovering from major offseason hip surgery performed in June 2025.
O’Connor and Colton return tonight for the @Avalanche.#GoAvsGo
— Conor McGahey (@ConorMcGahey) March 24, 2026
O’Connor underwent surgery to address a chronic hip issue following the conclusion of the 2024–25 season. During his rehabilitation in November and December, he reportedly dealt with unrelated "soft tissue" issues that slowed his ramp-up process. Rather than a conditioning stint in the AHL, head coach Jared Bednar opted to have O’Connor travel and practice with the NHL club over the last two weeks to finalize his conditioning.
In 80 appearances last season, he recorded 21 points (10G, 11A) and logged nearly two minutes of short-handed ice time per game. Next season is the first year of a six-year contract that O’Connor signed this past September. It carries a $2.5 million cap hit with a modified no-trade clause where the Missouri City, Texas native submits a six-team no-trade list.
The 28-year-old undrafted winger has spent his entire career with the Avs, the team he signed with after a solid collegiate career at the University of Denver in July 2018. He was a member of the Colorado team that brought home the franchise’s third Stanley Cup in 2022.
In 343 NHL appearances, O’Connor has scored 45 goals and 58 assists for 103 points, along with another 11 points in 38 postseason games.