BRIGHTON, Mass. — On Feb. 13, during Team USA’s 6-1 win over Finland in the 4 Nations Face-Off, Charlie McAvoy injured the AC joint in his right shoulder. The injury, in all likelihood, happened when Joel Armia cross-checked McAvoy from behind.
It was a hockey play with a bad outcome. Such injuries happen regularly.
Post-injury infections, the kind McAvoy has been diagnosed with, do not. It is why the Boston Bruins have expressed dissatisfaction with McAvoy’s care in Montreal as they brought him back under team care over the past two days.
As of Wednesday, McAvoy remained at Massachusetts General Hospital, two days following admission. The Team USA defenseman was being treated with IV antibiotics for the infection in his right shoulder. According to the Bruins, McAvoy is improving, but it is unknown when he will be well enough to be discharged.
“Unfortunately he ended up where he is right now,” said Nikita Zadorov, McAvoy’s Bruins teammate. “So we’ve just got to move forward from that.”
“You can’t move. You break a bone. You physically can’t play,” Charlie Coyle added of typical hockey injuries. “But these little things, like an infection or whatever it is, it kind of stings that much more. Depending on what it is, you’re like, ‘I feel like I can play. I feel like I can do it.’ But there’s something going on there that you need to be cautious of. It stinks either way. Because we all want to go out there and we’re competitive, especially Charlie. You just hate hearing that. You hate seeing that. You just hope that whoever it is, they get back to playing and get back to good health as soon as they can the right way.”
On Wednesday, the Bruins issued a statement from Dr. Peter Asnis, their team physician. The statement specified it was Team USA’s medical staff that treated McAvoy for his injury in Montreal. The Bruins did not disclose the nature of McAvoy’s treatment.
Dr. Joel Boyd, the Team USA physician, is the Minnesota Wild’s orthopedic surgeon. Athletic trainers John Worley and Travis Green are on the Wild staff. U.S. general manager Bill Guerin is the Wild’s GM.
Despite the injury, McAvoy was cleared to play in the U.S.-Canada game two days later at the Bell Centre. He played 19:27 in the Americans’ 3-1 win. The defenseman threw five hits, including his tone-setting rattler on Connor McDavid. It’s unknown whether playing in the game made McAvoy’s injury worse.
“I can’t answer that,” interim Bruins coach Joe Sacco said when asked if, in retrospect, he would have preferred McAvoy be held out against Canada. “This is the tournament the league has put forth. It’s a great tournament. It brings publicity to our game and helps our game across the map. So it’s hard for me to answer that. Of course you never want to see anyone get injured, especially one of your own.”
According to the Bruins, McAvoy complained of increased pain once Team USA arrived in Boston on Sunday. Under the care of the Bruins medical staff, McAvoy underwent X-rays, MRIs and bloodwork. He was diagnosed with an infection and significant AC joint injury.
On Tuesday, McAvoy underwent an irrigation and debridement procedure to treat the infection. The Bruins did not specify how McAvoy developed the infection. It is unknown whether the Bruins or USA Hockey are responsible for the cost of McAvoy’s hospitalization.
McAvoy has been ruled out of Thursday’s championship game against Canada. He will also be unavailable for the Bruins’ home game Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks. Sacco said it’s unlikely he will be back for the Bruins’ games next week against the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins.
“I wouldn’t expect him in the short-term,” the coach said.
It leaves the Bruins without their top two defensemen to start the post-tournament sprint. Hampus Lindholm will not be available on Saturday either. Lindholm did not participate in Wednesday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena. The left-shot defenseman last played on Nov. 12, 2024.
Minus McAvoy and Lindholm, the Bruins will have to be even more mindful about being responsible up the ice, limiting rushes against and constructing layers of protection in front of their net.
“Without him and Lindy, it puts us in a situation where we have to look at things a little bit differently as far as adjustments we want to make within our group,” said Sacco. “How we have to play, how our forwards have to be able to help out our D in certain situations, maybe more than other times. Let’s face it. Obviously they’re two really good defensemen for us.”
At this time, McAvoy will not require surgery to repair the AC joint.
“He was a man possessed playing those games,” Coyle said. “It was so fun to watch. It fired me up watching and seeing that through the TV. I feel for him, because you know how badly he wants to play, contribute and be a part of the finals and that last game. But he’s been a huge part of it the way he’s played those last couple. You hate to see that. You want guys to be healthy. I know both teams want guys healthy. Because they want to win against the best and have a full team out there. On the other hand, too, you want to make sure Charlie’s good so we can have him back and playing and playing good hockey, healthy hockey for us too.”
(Photo: Rich Gagnon / Getty Images)
