Charlie McAvoy is USA’s most physical and influential player at the Olympics

It's easy to see why Charlie McAvoy stood in front of his Team USA teammates at last year's 4 Nations Face-Off Championship Game and let his emotions get the better of him because he couldn't suit up with an injury. The Boston Bruins defenseman has been battling injuries again this season, but was able to make the trip to Milano-Cortina. If you thought a series of injuries to his head and face was going to stop him, you would've been dead wrong.

McAvoy is a physical force for the Bruins on the backend, but he takes that to another level when he represents his country. It's the type of play that Boston fans have also seen for him in the postseason, which really hammers home the point that it would be an utter disaster to let McAvoy's prime years pass us by without the Bruins being contenders. A player like McAvoy is built for big-time games, which he has been showing all Olympics.

The Bruins aren't exactly the most loved NHL team in the world. If you're not a Boston fan, there's a good chance you hate the team and the players that wear their jersey. It's always a testament in these kinds of tournaments when you see fans of other teams begin to fall in love with Bruins players because they are now playing on the team you're rooting for.

If there's one player who isn't going to take Sunday's Gold Medal Game for granted, it's McAvoy. He had to watch his country lose to Canada in overtime at last year's international tournament, but they'll be giving the Canadians a different look with both McAvoy and Quinn Hughes in the lineup. Don't be too surprised if we see another McAvoy hit like the one he threw on Connor McDavid in last year's round robin.

It has been a long couple of seasons for McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman, who will be in the stands again for the Gold Medal Game. While all hockey fans will be watching with intent to see what could possibly be one of the greatest hockey games ever, Bruins fans will have a special interest in seeing two of their stars celebrating on the world's biggest stage.