Boston Bruins Sign Charlie McAvoy to Entry-Level Contract Ahead of Postseason
The Boston Bruins have signed Charlie McAvoy to a three-year entry-level contract. McAvoy is in Boston today practicing with the big club ahead of their postseason matchup with the Ottawa Senators. The 19-year-old was originally signed to an Amateur Tryout Offer (ATO) and has played in four games with the Providence Bruins following the conclusion of his season with the Boston University Terriers.
McAvoy has been a star since being drafted by Bruins. Whether it was with the Terriers or with the United States in international play – especially at the World Junior Championships, McAvoy has shown that he can be a legitimate top-four and even top-two defender in the NHL. While playing at the World Junior Championships, McAvoy scored two goals and six points with a plus-six rating and won a gold medal as an alternate captain. He was also named to the All-Tournament team and logged over 30 minutes a night in most cases.
Injuries Playing a Role
With the Boston Bruins dealing with injuries to Torey Krug and Brandon Carlo, McAvoy’s signing seemed like a legitimate possibility. Before those injuries, however, McAvoy seemed destined to finish the season in the AHL. This decision made sense as it was to avoid burning a year on his entry-level deal. The playoffs changed things, however.
Related Story: Uncertainty Heading Into Playoffs for Boston Bruins
The Bruins will face off against the Ottawa Senators in a first-round matchup starting Wednesday. Had the Bruins been matched up with the Washington Capitals, it’s uncertain whether or not they would have made this move.Though the Bruins have lost each of their meetings with the Senators this season, it’s still more likely that the Bruins can be competitive against Ottawa than Washington. Even before the Capitals won consecutive President’s Trophies, they were the Bruins’ kryptonite. If the Bruins want to win the Stanley Cup, the Capitals could still stand in their way – for now, however, the Bruins will have a chance to be competitive.
Starting With Liles
In his first practice with the team, McAvoy slotted alongside John-Michael Liles. Many would have preferred seeing McAvoy paired with Chara, or even having Colin Miller with Chara, but that simply isn’t the case right now. McAvoy’s ceiling is so high, however, that it wouldn’t be surprising to see him move quickly up the depth chart.
The blueline pairs at practice were as follows:
Zdeno Chara – Adam McQuaid
Colin Miller – Kevan Miller
John-Michael Liles – Charlie McAvoy
If Krug and Carlo are ready for the postseason, however, things could be different. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Carlo return to the lineup alongside Chara, with Krug resuming his role alongside McQuaid. This would leave the Bruins with the decision of removing two of the remaining three defenders. With McAvoy signed, it’s likely he remains in the lineup, leaving Miller and Liles to be the scratches. Still, crazier things have happened and McAvoy isn’t guaranteed a spot in the lineup if both Krug and Carlo can return.
Next: Torey Krug Vital to Bruins' Playoff Hopes
As it stands, the Bruins are set to look much different Wednesday than they did in their regular-season finale against Washington. With Marchand back and McAvoy in tow, things could be interesting. Only time will tell how the Bruins fair. The signing of McAvoy has been highly anticipated, however, and fans will surely be happy to see it finally happening.