NHL Announces Suspension for Bruins' Charlie McAvoy

Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

NHL Announces Suspension for Bruins' Charlie McAvoy

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nathan Smith | Last updated May 12, 2026 5:37 PM ET

The Boston Bruins had a historic drop off following a record breaking 135 points in 2022-23 to just 76 two years later in 2024-25. However, this past season, they bounced back in a big way, forcing their way into the Stanley Cup Playoffs and a round one matchup with the surging Buffalo Sabres.

Despite having the edge in post-season experience, the Bruins would be taken down by their younger rivals, losing the series in six games despite two very impressive road victories in Buffalo.

Game 6 was where things got their most intense between Atlantic Division rivals, and as the Sabres were wrapping up the series, the physicality between the two teams escalated to new heights.

Buffalo Sabres center Peyton Krebs (19) collides with Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The most memorable moment to come out of that involved Charlie McAvoy, who had just been tripped by Zach Benson late in the game as the Sabres were looking to put things away with an empty net goal. In retaliation of that moment, the veteran defenseman went after Benson, delivering a brutal slash that saw his time on the ice and his season officially come to an end.

On Tuesday, 11 days after the incident, the NHL's Department of Player Safety officially announced his punishment, as he will be suspended for six games to start the 2026-27 regular season.

Boston’s Charlie McAvoy has been suspended for six regular season games for slashing Buffalo’s Zach Benson. https://t.co/j90GKNYbMe
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 12, 2026

Charlie McAvoy has gotten suspended six games to start the 2026-27 season for his slash on Zach Benson here: pic.twitter.com/7IgnGrocP0
— PuckEmpire (@puckempire) May 12, 2026

Clearly, as seen above, the play was more than worthy of a suspension, as the NHL's DoPS deemed that McAvoy was clearly trying to inflict damage on Benson in retaliation for a trip that saw him go crashing into the boards.

Thankfully for Buffalo, Benson was not injured on the play, but for a Bruins team looking to get back into the post-season next year, they'll play at least six of their 84 games without their best blue liner in the lineup.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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