The Colorado Avalanche announced Thursday that Myles O’Connor, a former NHL defenseman, has died at 59.
The team said in a statement, “We are deeply saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Logan’s father, Myles O’Connor,” and added, “Our thoughts are with Logan and the O’Connor family during this difficult time.”
O’Connor’s death led his son, Logan O’Connor, to step away from the Avalanche to be with his family. The club did not say what caused the death.
Myles O’Connor appeared in 43 NHL regular-season games from 1990-94, putting up three goals, four assists and 69 penalty minutes. The New Jersey Devils picked him in the third round, 45th overall, of the 1985 NHL draft, and he spent parts of three NHL seasons with New Jersey before finishing his NHL career with five games for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in 1994.
Born April 2, 1967, O’Connor played four seasons at the University of Michigan before turning pro. He then spent three seasons in the International Hockey League before ending his playing career with a stint in Japan.
Sportsnet analyst Eric Francis also paid tribute on Twitter/X, saying, “he was one of the first people to welcome me to Calgary when I moved here 30 years ago, and I was always so thrilled to touch base w him as his son, Logan, had milestone moments while chasing his NHL dreams, and ultimately winning the Stanley Cup. A proud dad and tremendous business leader, Myles was also a great Calgarian.”
Logan O’Connor had been working his way back from a lower-body injury and was nearing his season debut when the news broke Thursday.
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