“Maybe it’ll be a little shock at first, but then it’s just hockey.”
Charlie McAvoy missed 11 games with a serious face injury. AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Less than a month after taking a slap shot straight to the jaw, Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy is back in Boston’s lineup.
After an arduous rehab process that included facial surgery, a plate inserted into his jaw, and significant weight loss, the 27-year-old defenseman was activated off injured reserve and cleared to play in the Bruins’ road game against Winnipeg on Thursday.
“Just to see him out there, just the presence alone he brings on the ice and off the ice, in the locker room, it’s just a lot. I can see it, we can feel it,” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm said Thursday morning of McAvoy’s return. “It is nice to have him back. Seeing that smile on his face, it’s been a while. It’s been a tough road for him. He is our leader, so it is nice to have him back.”
McAvoy, who was initially ruled a game-time decision during Thursday’s morning skate at Canada Life Centre, was officially added to the starting lineup ahead of puck drop and will skate on a D pairing with Nikita Zadorov.
“Today felt good, and then we just monitor it throughout the day. I have to go talk to the trainers right now. Don’t have an answer for you yet, but see how the rest of the day goes,” McAvoy said Thursday morning before getting the green light. “It’s a mutual, it’s a team decision. It’s a group of people that we rely on to make sure we’re doing the right thing.”
McAvoy had missed the last 11 games after a slap shot delivered by Montreal’s Noah Dobson struck McAvoy square in the jaw on Nov. 15 at Bell Centre.
It’s been an arduous road back for McAvoy, especially given the limited time he spent on the shelf. McAvoy revealed last week that he lost several teeth and suffered a linear fracture in his jaw, with a plate needed to be inserted to correct the displacement in the shattered joint.
Despite the trauma doled out by Dobson’s slapper, McAvoy has skated with his teammates for more than a week, donning a protective cage that he will need to wear in games as he continues to heal.
“I mean, I’ve played with a bubble before,” McAvoy said. “I feel pretty good as far as I’ve got plates in my jaw. I think I’m protected pretty well, so obviously we will see what happens whenever it happens. Maybe it’ll be a little shock at first, but then it’s just hockey.”
McAvoy has also had to gain his strength back after being stuck on a liquid diet — one that resulted in him losing 20 pounds in less than two weeks after his injury.
He noted on Monday that he’s already regained more than 10 pounds, and is starting to regain some his strength as he continues to ramp up his activity both on and off the ice.
“It’s definitely getting better. I’m able to do more so you’re able to work on your conditioning and get that part back. But whenever it is, the best way to get conditioning back is to just play in the game. I think that’s coming soon,” McAvoy added.
The Bruins will welcome the return of McAvoy, with the team going 6-5-0 in the 11 games without him in the lineup.
A banged-up Bruins roster appears to be finally turning a corner, as David Pastrnak returned to game action on Tuesday against St. Louis after missing his previous five games with an injury. Pastrnak posted three assists in that 5-2 win over the Blues.
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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