The Boston Bruins are hoping to put together a great 2026-27 NHL season.
They’re having to start it off shorthanded, though, and not due to injury. Charlie McAvoy is suspended.
McAvoy is one of the top defensemen in the league, and he’s coming off a gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics with Team USA.
He’s been everything the Bruins could’ve hoped for when they chose him No. 14 overall in the 2016 NHL Draft.
McAvoy has played all 573 of his NHL games with Boston and has 71 goals and 290 assists for 361 points.
Last season was his career-high points total at 61 in 69 games, including 11 goals and 50 assists. McAvoy also had 129 blocked shots and 79 hits.
The 2025-26 Bruins made it to the playoffs before being eliminated in the first round by the Buffalo Sabres. McAvoy had two assists in six games.
Now, the Bruins are trying to set the tone with a fast start to the season, but they’ve been forced to do so without McAvoy.
When is Charlie McAvoy Coming Back?
McAvoy is suspended for six games, which means he’s eligible to return for the Bruins’ seventh game.
While not confirmed that he’ll be back then, it’s a safe expectation.
The Bruins played their opener on Tuesday, Sept. 29 and beat the Rangers 3-0.
They play Winnipeg on Friday night, then the Wild on Saturday night.
From there, they host the Senators, Mammoth and Flyers to wrap up their first six games.
That means conceptually, McAvoy will be eligible to return beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 13 when the Bruins play at the San Jose Sharks. That game is an 8 p.m. local time start in San Jose, which means watching back in Boston it won’t begin until 11 p.m. ET.
That’s the start of a four-game road trip for Boston that also goes to Anaheim, Los Angeles and Dallas.
The first home game McAvoy would be able to play in would be Oct. 22 against the Nashville Predators at 7 p.m.
Why is Charlie McAvoy Suspended?
McAvoy is suspended for a retaliatory slash on Sabres forward Zach Benson in the playoffs.
He received a major penalty and game misconduct at the time, and since it was Game 6 and the end of the series, McAvoy’s suspension carried into this season.
Benson had been a pest all series, and after one play, McAvoy simply lashed out in a way that the NHL didn’t approve of.
This was the NHL’s official announcement at the time:
“Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been suspended for six regular-season games, without pay, for slashing Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Game 6 of the teams’ First Round series in Boston on Friday, May 1, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today. The incident occurred at 18:29 of the third period. McAvoy was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for slashing.”
He’s now serving that penalty to begin the 2026-27 NHL season.
When is Charlie McAvoy Coming Back? Why Bruins’ Star is Suspended and Return Timeline