Boston Bruins fans are already hoping that defenseman Charlie McAvoy will find his way into the NHL this season.
Fans have already been penciling the Boston University sophomore into their ideal defensive rosters for the Boston Bruins already. You can’t blame them really. McAvoy had a fantastic tournament at the World Junior Showcase where he used his physical play to batter around other players.
McAvoy has also impressed many of the NHL scouts. They believe he’s a strong but agile skater who brings a solid physical presence to the game. While many of the scouts saw the upside in also saw some lingering liabilities. Here’s what one NHL scout said according to the Scouting Post.
“The top defensemen in this draft are hard to separate and McAvoy might end up being the best. He would’ve torn apart the OHL and produced as much as guys like (Mikhail) Sergachev and (Jeff) Chychrun, in my opinion. He’s an NHL athlete and skater; a thick, strong, and powerful kid who has great speed and skating ability.
“Competitive and passionate about hockey. Can make the first pass and is good offensively off the rush but he’s just average on the PP and lack of height will limit him defensively in the NHL. Doesn’t have Werenski’s size or PP ability from last year.”
McAvoy’s greatest weakness is that he can be too aggressive as a puck-moving defenseman. He pushes too far into the offensive zone, and he can find himself woefully out of position when the other team is able to get the puck back. Overall, it’s not a weakness that can’t be removed. It would be better for McAvoy and his career if that bad habit got stripped away before he entered the NHL.
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Charlie McAvoy is smart enough to know his NHL-level game is a work in progress. While he certainly wants to put on the spoked ‘B’, he wants to be able to do it when he can make an immediate impact for the Bruins.
“I want to sharpen up my defensive skills,” said McAvoy as he entered the BU program last year. “I want to be responsible in my own zone and trusted to be on the ice at the end of the game.”
McAvoy deserves to evolve at Boston University, and play with the Terriers for the 2016-17 season. He’s an outstanding talent, and his skill set is expanding by an order of magnitude. If the Bruins choose to use him, then they should let him finish out the season in Providence next year.