Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy out indefinitely after undergoing surgery

The Boston Bruins are going to be without their number-one defenseman for the foreseeable future, as according to Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic, Charlie McAvoy has undergone surgery and has no timeline for a return to the lineup.

McAvoy has been out since he took a puck to the jaw area during Saturday night’s win on the road against the Montreal Canadiens.

This incident continues an unfortunate run of injuries for McAvoy, Boston’s cornerstone defenseman and 2016 first-round pick. McAvoy missed the final third of the 2024-25 season after injuring his right AC joint during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February while playing for Team USA. After the injury, his shoulder developed a staph infection that required immediate medical attention and surgery.

McAvoy had 23 points in 50 NHL games last year, and he had returned to the lineup this season producing at an even higher clip, racking up 14 assists in 19 games before this most recent injury.

In McAvoy’s absence, Boston’s blue line currently consists of Nikita Zadorov, Hampus Lindholm and Mason Lohrei on the left side with Henri Jokiharju, Andrew Peeke and Jonathan Aspirot comprising the right.

McAvoy is not the only Bruin out for a significant length of time, as injuries to forwards Elias Lindholm, Viktor Arvidsson and Casey Mittelstadt have significantly tested the club’s depth up front.

Boston has played one game since losing their star blue liner, a 3-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at home on Monday. The Bruins are in Anaheim tonight to kick off a road trip that features all three of their games in the state of California for the year along with a stop on Long Island before returning home on Black Friday.

The Bruins are 12-9-0 through their first 21 games and have staked out solid positioning in the Atlantic Division, currently occupying second place.