Dater On Avalanche

Dater On Avalanche

Doing Their Jobs: O'Connor and Kelly

The bottom-six duo are making underrated contributions.

Pat Salvas's avatar
Pat Salvas
Apr 27, 2025
∙ Paid
Courtesy of x.com/avalanche

My instant analysis in the immediate wake of Game 4 was all about the emotion of the moment. Gabe Landeskog had scored, and I was all up in my feelings. Mackenzie Blackwood had posted a shutout, and I was ready to fight for our guy when it was reported that the Stars had stolen the final game puck.

And I stand by both of those reactions because they will be what Saturday’s game is remembered for. Hell, I’m already comfortable putting Landeskog’s goal in the upper pantheon of all-time Avalanche moments.

This piece, though, is for the here and now. A sharper look at the players who made last night, and this 2-2 series, possible, even if they might not have the historical callbacks coming their way in the years ahead.

The player who fits that narrative perfectly is Logan O’Connor.

User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Adrian Dater.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
Pat Salvas's avatar
A guest post by
Pat Salvas
Lifelong Nordiques-turned-Avalanche fan living in New Hampshire.
Subscribe to Pat
© 2026 Adrian Dater · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture