Former NHL defenseman dies suddenly at 59, prompting son to leave Avalanche

Myles O’Connor, a former NHL defenseman who played for the New Jersey Devils and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, has died at 59, the Colorado Avalanche announced Thursday.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Logan’s father, Myles O’Connor,” the Avalanche said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with Logan and the O’Connor family during this difficult time.”

O’Connor’s death prompted his son, Logan O’Connor, to step away from the Avalanche to be with his family. The team did not disclose the cause of death.

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Myles O’Connor played 43 NHL regular-season games from 1990-94, recording three goals and four assists with 69 penalty minutes.

The New Jersey Devils selected him in the third round, 45th overall, of the 1985 NHL draft. After appearing in parts of three NHL seasons with New Jersey, he finished his 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 beginning his professional career. He continued playing hockey professionally for three seasons in the International Hockey League, before finishing his career with a stint in Japan.

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Sportsnet analyst Eric Francis praised O’Connor in a post on Twitter/X on Thursday, 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.”

His son followed him into professional hockey, forging his own path in Colorado. Logan O’Connor had been working toward a return from a lower-body injury and was nearing his season debut when news of his father’s death emerged Thursday.

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