Charlie McAvoy remembers his face being bloodied struggling a nasty reduce on the Olympics

Charlie McAvoy did not notice he had been enjoying by one other facial harm till he appeared again at photographs from Group USA’s gold medal celebration on the 2026 Winter Olympics. The Boston Bruins defenseman mentioned the thrill of the second was so overwhelming that he by no means observed his face was lined in blood.

Talking on the Wingmen with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk podcast, McAvoy recalled discovering the harm solely after seeing footage from the postgame celebrations.

“I believe somebody requested me who I hugged first, and I am like, I’ve to return and watch. Like, I do not know. After which I am taking a look at all the images after, and I am like, why is my face all bloody? Annie’s backside row legit went by my, like, like, I believe I nonetheless have, like, the scar right here. I used to be all bloodied up. I used to be, like, blood on folks’s, like, white shirts. I did not even know I used to be bleeding. In all probability wanted stitches, I did not get them.”

McAvoy helped Group USA seize the lads’s hockey gold medal on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, ending the nation’s 46-year await an Olympic title after an extra time victory within the remaining.

The defenseman has handled a number of facial accidents in current months. After returning to the Boston Bruins following the Olympics, he suffered one other harm to his face in the course of the NHL season.

Regardless of these setbacks, Charlie McAvoy loved the best offensive marketing campaign of his profession. He completed the 2025-26 season with 11 targets, 50 assists and 61 factors in 69 video games, serving to Boston stay within the Stanley Cup Playoff race.

Charlie McAvoy will miss the beginning of the Bruins’ 2026-27 season

Charlie McAvoy will miss the primary six video games of the 2026-27 season after the NHL Division of Participant Security suspended him for slashing.

The incident occurred late in Recreation 6 of Boston’s first-round playoff sequence towards the Buffalo Sabres. After falling into the boards following a play involving Zach Benson, McAvoy received again to his ft and swung his stick, putting the Sabres ahead with 1:31 remaining within the Bruins’ season.

Explaining the choice, the NHL Division of Participant Security mentioned:

“That is slashing. All events agree that that is an intentional and forceful strike delivered to an opponent’s physique particularly for the aim of retribution and message sending. As well as, all events agree that this play happens exterior of precise recreation play, and in a state of affairs the place the end result of each the sport and the sequence have been determined.”

Charlie McAvoy attended an in-person listening to with the league earlier than the suspension was introduced. After Recreation 6, he mentioned he disagreed with the slew foot that led to the sequence involving Benson. On the Bruins’ breakup day, he declined to debate the incident additional, saying he would wait till after assembly with the league.

The suspension is the third of McAvoy’s NHL profession. He beforehand acquired a one-game ban in the course of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs for an unlawful test to the top on then-Columbus Blue Jackets ahead Josh Anderson.