Bruins Make Roster Decision After Charlie McAvoy Development

Bruins coach Marco Sturm acknowledged on Wednesday that there is no clear timeline for McAvoy's recovery.

The brief update, however, made it clear that McAvoy’s condition is serious enough to sideline him for the foreseeable future, thus his placement on IR.

The designation means McAvoy will be out for at least seven days, though the club has not projected a firm return date and his absence is expected to last weeks, if not months.

ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported on Thursday the “best case” is that McAvoy recovers in time for the Winter Olympics in February, where he’s expected to serve as a cornerstone of Team USA’s blue line.

McAvoy had played in 19 games this season before suffering his injury, tallying 14 assists. His presence on the Team USA roster was confirmed earlier this year when he was named among the nation's initial six selections for the 2026 Olympics.

The Bruins also activated Elias Lindholm on Sunday. The veteran forward has been sidelined since Oct. 30 with a lower-body injury and made his return in the 3-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on the day of his activation.

The Bruins face the New York Islanders on Wednesday evening, with puck drop set for 7 p.m. ET.