Bruins Star Sounds Off On New Path, Team Identity

The Boston Bruins will open training camp with Charlie McAvoy ready to reset after an abrupt end to last season.

The defenseman missed Boston’s final 25 games because of a shoulder infection that required surgery, an absence that weighed heavily as the club slid out of playoff contention.

McAvoy said the extended time away allowed him to focus on recovery and training, something he had not experienced during years of deep postseason runs, according to NHL.com’s Bill Price.

The setback began during February’s 4 Nations Face-Off. What first appeared to be a routine AC joint problem revealed itself as an infection after further testing at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The Bruins shut him down, and he later described the ordeal as a “perfect storm” of bad fortune, as transcribed by Price.

By season’s end, McAvoy had healed enough that he would have returned if Boston had qualified for the playoffs. Instead, the Bruins closed at the bottom of the Atlantic Division and entered their first summer without postseason hockey since 2016.

McAvoy, now 27 and entering his ninth season, stressed that this year is about restoring the team’s identity under new head coach Marco Sturm. He said the group recognizes that a cultural reset is required and views the change as an opportunity.

On top of his Bruins responsibilities, McAvoy is expected to play a key role for the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics. A

lready named to the preliminary roster, he called the chance to compete best-on-best on an Olympic stage the fulfillment of a dream.

McAvoy’s return offers the Bruins a chance to stabilize their blue line and regain its footing.