BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 06: Charlie McAvoy #73 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his first period goal against the Florida Panthers at TD Garden on April 06, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by China Wong/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Buffalo Sabres knocked the Boston Bruins out of the Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round. Bruins star defenseman Charlie McAvoy slashed Sabres attacker Zach Benson in the sixth and final game, earning him a suspension. McAvoy will miss the first six games of the 2026-27 regular season as a result of this move in Game 6.
McAvoy was called in for an in-person meeting with the NHL Department of Player Safety, increasing the chances of a longer suspension. DoPS announced the suspension on Tuesday.
According to the video released by the Department of Player Safety, “All parties agree that this is an intentional and strong blow directed at an opponent’s body for the sole purpose of vengeance and message delivery. ” They also mentioned that McAvoy’s history, which includes two suspensions and one fine, influenced their choice.
McAvoy will only be available for 78 of the 84 Bruins games next season. However, this would need him to be healthy, and he has not played 75 games since the 2021-22 season, when he was 24 years old. The Bruins rely on their top defenseman. Staying healthy and beginning the season on the sidelines for a variety of reasons does not help.
The Bruins played the whole 2025-26 season without a captain after trading Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers. McAvoy has been an alternate captain for many years and may be named captain before the next season. It would be unusual to introduce a new captain in the season’s seventh game, but it may happen.
