The Boston Bruins will kick off their season at home on Sept. 29 against the New York Rangers, but their star defenseman will not be on the ice for that game, or the following five.
Charlie McAvoy will serve a six game suspension to start the 2026-27 NHL season for a transgression that occurred in game six of the B’s playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres last spring.
With less than two minutes remaining in the third period and the Bruins season all but over, McAvoy was slew-footed by Sabres forward Zach Benson after the whistle. McAvoy, clearly heated, stood up and hacked Benson with his stick. He was given a five-minute misconduct and kicked out of the game.
The NHL handed McAvoy a six-game suspension shortly after. McAvoy appealed the suspension during an in-person hearing, but the league did not change its mind.
McAvoy Breaks Silence Ahead of 2026-27 Season
McAvoy broke his silence on the situation during his media availability after a captains practice on Thursday, Sept. 12.
“I respect the opportunity to have gone there and tried to state my case and try and speak my truth on it and maybe try to get them to understand why I did what I did or felt how I felt,” McAvoy said. “The reality of the situation is that you’re just at the mercy of whatever they decide. It is what it is.
“You’re going against the league and a group of people. It’s a very difficult process. It’s not really one for the player to come out the other side and have any luck in it, I feel like. But I do respect that I had the opportunity to go there and talk to them. Did it change a thing? Was it worth the time? I don’t know. I got closure out of it, so I guess I respect that.”
With McAvoy out to start the season, the Bruins will have to plug in guys like Connor Clifton and Jordan Harris in his place. McAvoy is one of the best two-way defensemen in the NHL and the clear No. 1 guy on the Bruins roster, so his absence will certainly be felt for the first couple of weeks of the season.
McAvoy Calls Out Benson in Comments
McAvoy did not hold back when discussing why he slashed Benson in game six.
“I thought that was extremely dangerous. I tried to explain that,” McAvoy said of Benson’s actions. “You’re talking about broken legs, broken ankles, knees, everything. When you go into the boards at full speed, that in my mind is one of the most dangerous and vulnerable situations you can be in. … I felt like that was a deliberate play that could have resulted in a serious injury for me.
“That was why I kind of snapped. If I didn’t have a broken hand, maybe I would have fought him. … I lost my wits to a certain degree and I have regrets about that, certainly. It’s something I have to learn from because it can’t happen to me or the team. None of it sits well. And it won’t ever sit well. I’m going to miss a lot of time and there’s a lot of penalties that will come with it.”
Boston Bruins’ Star Breaks Silence on Suspension to Start Season