Charlie McAvoy Out For Tuesday With Lower Body Injury (UPDATE: He’s Out At Least Four Weeks)
UPDATE (March 6): McAvoy will miss at least four weeks with a left MCL sprain, and then will be re-evaluated at that point.
Charlie McAvoy missed Bruins practice on Monday, but he did make it on the ice for the team photo at TD Garden. It was at that point that reporters noticed the rookie defenseman sporting a brace on his left knee.
Now, there’s more clarity on the severity of McAvoy’s injury. Head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed to reporters after practice that McAvoy will miss Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings with the same lower body injury suffered just 37 seconds into the Bruins’ 2-1 overtime win over the Canadiens on Saturday.
McAvoy appeared to suffer the injury when he crashed into the boards, or just after that in a collision with the Habs’ Brendan Gallagher. Cassidy indicated after Saturday’s game that the injury did not appear to be serious. Based on Monday’s news and the fact that McAvoy walked on the ice without assistance for the team photo, that certainly seems to be the case.
Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins shoots the puck against the New York Islanders at the Barclays Center on Jan. 18, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
In other injury news, Tuukka Rask is still nursing a minor injury and is also likely out against the Red Wings on Tuesday.
Despite McAvoy’s injury, it’s a relief for the B’s that their prized young blue liner has apparently avoided something major. But at the very least, the rookie looks to have tweaked something in his knee area that will require at least one game, possibly more, on the shelf.
McAvoy leads all rookie defensemen with 32 points and a plus-26 rating on the season. Losing him is a tough blow for the Bruins defense, especially in terms of the power play and moving the puck up the ice offensively. But on the bright side, the injury is not as serious as it seemed.
— By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
