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The Boston Bruins announced Wednesday that defenseman Charlie McAvoy “underwent an irrigation and debridement procedure” after suffering a shoulder injury in Team USA's 4 Nations Face-Off game against Finland on Feb. 13. McAvoy was diagnosed with an infection in his right shoulder, and he also suffered a “significant” AC joint injury. The 27-year-old is still in the hospital for treatment as his condition improves.
Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports McAvoy is “expected to miss multiple weeks of action” after undergoing this procedure. McAvoy had already been ruled out for Team USA's 4 Nations Face-Off final against Canada on Thursday, and now it's confirmed that he's going to miss part of the NHL season as well. The good news is there's no long-term concern about the injury.
With Charlie McAvoy out, there has been talk of Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes joining Team USA in Boston for the final. Hughes hasn't played in the 4 Nations Face-Off because of an injury, but Team USA coach Mike Sullivan claimed Tuesday that the defenseman was coming to Boston to join the team for the final. However, Hughes stayed in Vancouver to practice and reportedly will only fly to Boston if there's a “real chance” of playing. The current rules say Hughes can only play if there's another injury or illness to a Team USA defenseman, because a team can only make an addition mid-tournament if they drop below 12 forwards or six defensemen. While Canada appears willing to let Hughes play, the NHL isn't budging yet, per insider Pierre LeBrun.
Whether or not Hughes winds up playing, the McAvoy loss still stings as Team USA deals with a number of injuries. The Bruins defenseman played a big role in the previous win over Canada, logging nearly 20 minutes of ice time and playing an enforcer role with big hits on Connor McDavid. Canada will have its own star defenseman, Cale Makar, back in the lineup after missing last Saturday's game.
Looking ahead, the Bruins return to action on Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks. It seems as if Boston is hoping Charlie McAvoy will be back in the lineup some time in March for a final playoff push. The Bruins currently have 60 points, which is one point behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
