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Charlie McAvoy

Charlie McAvoy Signs Eight-Year Extension With Boston Bruins

October 15, 2021 at 10:06 am CDT | by Josh Erickson 15 Comments

Defenseman Charlie McAvoy has signed an eight-year extension with the Boston Bruins, per TSN’s Bob McKenzie. The deal carries a cap hit of $9.5MM, taking him through the 2029-30 season. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports the details of the contract:

2022-23: $6.0MM salary + $3.25MM signing bonus
2023-24: $7.75MM salary + $3.25MM signing bonus
2024-25: $8.5MM salary + $3.0MM signing bonus
2025-26: $8.5MM salary + $3.0MM signing bonus
2026-27: $6.0MM salary + $4.0MM signing bonus
2027-28: $3.75MM salary + $4.0MM signing bonus
2028-29: $4.5MM salary + $3.0MM signing bonus
2029-30: $4.5MM salary + $3.0MM signing bonus

The contract carries a full no-movement clause from 2025-26 to 2027-28, per Seravalli. The deal has a 10-team ’yes’ trade list in 2028-29 and a 10-team ’no’ trade list in 2029-30.

McAvoy was due to be a restricted free agent at the season’s end. He’s in the final season of a three-year, $14.7MM deal ($4.9MM cap hit) signed prior to the 2019-20 season.

This contract is the fourth big-money deal handed out to restricted free agent defensemen within the last few months, joining just Dallas’ Miro Heiskanen with an eight-year deal. McAvoy’s cap hit slots above Cale Makar’s $9.0MM and just below Zach Werenski’s $9.58MM, but he’s signed for more term than either of those players.

McAvoy has been a consistent top-flight two-way defenseman ever since his rookie season in 2017-18. While he’s yet to play a full 82-game season in his career, fighting injuries and the pandemic, he’s now finished top ten in Norris Trophy voting for two consecutive seasons. He’s scored between 28 and 32 points every season of his career, totalling 122 points in 235 contests. His ice time has steadily climbed from the 22:09 mark he logged in his rookie season, hitting 24:00 per night last season.

While McAvoy’s point totals may not come with the same ’wow’ factor as a Makar or Quinn Hughes, he’s become arguably a top-ten defenseman in the league due to his off-the-charts hockey IQ and two-way acumen. His lower point rates than his peers also shouldn’t be taken to say that McAvoy isn’t an elite offensive play driver – he is, seeing 52.4% of his career zone starts in the offensive zone. He can log legitimate zone time in the defensive end too, excelling just as well there. Over his career, McAvoy’s controlled 54.4% of Corsi at even strength. A capable penalty killer as well, McAvoy remains one of the best all-around packages in the league. At just 23, the potential is still tantalizing.

Few will complain about having a franchise stalwart locked up for eight years, but this deal offers a certain level of cap security for the Bruins as well. Per CapFriendly, the team enters next year with $13.1MM in cap space with just Patrice Bergeron and Jake DeBrusk as notable players to re-sign.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Boston Bruins| Newsstand| Transactions Bob McKenzie| Charlie McAvoy

15 comments

Snapshots: McAvoy, Kravtsov, Comeau

October 13, 2021 at 4:10 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 12 Comments

Boston Bruins president Cam Neely set off a wave of excitement among fans today when he told reporters including Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic that the team hopes to “see something here in short order” regarding a Charlie McAvoy contract extension, but don’t assume the deal is done just yet. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that talks are ongoing but there is work to be done, and general manager Don Sweeney clarified by saying nothing is imminent.

If the Bruins do extend McAvoy in the coming months, you can bet the six-year, $57.5MM deal that Zach Werenski signed earlier this offseason will have been used as a comparable. The two took very similar paths to the league, playing two years of college hockey before jumping directly into the NHL, have registered points at a similar rate, and even signed almost identical three-year bridge deals ($15MM for Werenski, $14.7MM for McAvoy). Werenski is currently set to carry the third-highest cap hit among defensemen–$9.58MM–for the 2022-23 season when his extension kicks in.

  • Vitali Kravtsov and his representatives were given permission to seek a trade after he was sent to the AHL again, but it’s not like the New York Rangers are just going to give him away for free. Darren Dreger of TSN reports that while Kravtsov is willing to play in the AHL for another organization, the Rangers are expecting “the potential of a top-six talent” in return for the young forward. Now 21, Kravtsov was the ninth overall pick in 2018 and has four points in 20 career NHL games.
  • The Dallas Stars have placed Blake Comeau on injured reserve retroactive to October 7, according to Matthew DeFranks of The Dallas Morning News. The 35-year-old scored just four goals and 14 points in 51 games last season but was still likely to have a spot on the Stars opening night roster if healthy, as a bottom-six defensive option. The team will have to fill that spot and the one belonging to Jason Robertson, who also isn’t currently traveling with the team as they visit the New York Rangers tomorrow night. Both Comeau and Robertson could join the group later on the road trip according to DeFranks. The Stars aren’t set to play their first home game until October 22, the fifth game of the season.

AHL| Boston Bruins| Dallas Stars| New York Rangers| Snapshots Blake Comeau| Charlie McAvoy| Vitali Kravtsov

12 comments

Bruins’ Bergeron, McAvoy Not Rushing Negotiations

September 8, 2021 at 6:46 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 5 Comments

The Boston Bruins have very few expiring contracts entering the 2021-22. In fact, among players that appear to be a lock for an NHL roster spot this season, only six will be free agents next summer. Of that group, only two will be unrestricted free agents and just three are set to make over $800K this season. By and large, the Bruins face very little risk of a roster shake-up via free agency next off-season. Yet, amongst this small group of expiring contracts is two of the most important players on the team, captain Patrice Bergeron and young stalwart Charlie McAvoy. Both career Bruins, one represents that remnants of the 2011 Stanley Cup-winning core and the other appears to be the future of the franchise as they look to transition to a new core. Negotiations with each player will be crucial for the Bruins, but the club has not rushed to extend either just yet; and neither seems to care.

Bergeron, 36, is focused on winning another title this year before shifting his focus to what’s next. Speaking to the media, Bergeron said of his next contract, “I’m going to play out this year, and then talk about that after.” GM Don Sweeney stated last month that Bergeron has free reign to sign on for as many more years as he likes in Boston. While the cap-strapped Bruins will need to be more careful about the cost, they are open to whatever term the future Hall of Famer is seeking. Bergeron has been a face of the franchise for many years, establishing himself as arguably the best defensive forward in league history and with a point-per-game campaign could crack 1,000 career points this season. He has earned the right to decide when he wants to retire or otherwise leave Boston, whether that be next year or several years for now. This season really is less about establishing anything more for contract negotiations and instead focusing solely on the pursuit of the Stanley Cup and continuing to build a lasting legacy in Boston. As Amalie Benjamin relays for NHL.com, Bergeron stated the thinks this Bruins group can be “special”, not only this year but even beyond his playing days:

I want to create something special, as I said. We obviously want to work towards winning a Stanley Cup. I know everyone says that, but it’s definitely our goal as a team. And I think we always are competitive to be in that group of teams. So I think that’s where that’s where my focus is at right now… We have some players that have been around for a while and they’re getting older, but also some younger players that are taking a bigger role, whether it’s on the ice or off the ice in the locker room. I think you want to make them understand that it’s going to become their team at some point soon and that they have to take some more responsibilities and whatnot. I’ve always said that I believe in leadership by committee and I think it can’t just be about one or two guys, it has to be a lot of guys.

One of those future leaders is undoubtedly McAvoy. While the Bruins have had an unfortunate recent history of moving on from young players too early, Boston seems to be sold on McAvoy’s complete game, work ethic, and locker room presence. One of the top defensemen in the NHL last season, McAvoy took a major step forward despite the departure of Zdeno Chara and the lack of a consistent pair mate. In an off-season that has been defined by long-term, big-money contracts for top young defensemen, McAvoy has established himself as at least an equal player to those who have already received mammoth new deals. With so many comparable contracts now available, the Bruins easily could have offered McAvoy a similar long-term deal and moved on, but the two sides are taking their time with negotiations; and McAvoy doesn’t mind. According to the Boston Globe’s Matt Porter, McAvoy brushed off any suggestion that he was frustrated to not have a new contract in the books. “Honestly, I don’t have any comment on it,” McAvoy said. “I’m just really excited for the year, just worrying about this summer, being in the best spot to get ready for camp. I think we’re going to have a heck of a team… I just want to get after it.” Unlike Bergeron, McAvoy also stands to gain financially from waiting to agree to a new deal, as another top-notch season could lead to an even bigger deal. His agent, Rick Curran, stated as much:

For Charlie, it’s all about focusing on the season. He wants to go out and have a really good season, and focus on what he can do for the team, really solidify himself as a top D-man in the league. He wants to control what he can control and let the chips fall where they may.

While Bruins fans may want some peace of mind about the futures of Bergeron and McAvoy before or even during the upcoming season, it seems more likely that both will wait until after the season and appear happy to do so. With their sights set on bringing the Stanley Cup back to Boston, the duo have more important things to do that worry about contracts when both are guaranteed to be with the Bruins for as long as they like.

 

Boston Bruins| Free Agency Charlie McAvoy| Patrice Bergeron

5 comments

Coyle, Forbort Expected To Step Into Top Roles For Bruins

August 8, 2021 at 7:19 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 12 Comments

With the unexpected departure of David Krejci, the unknown status of injured Tuukka Rask, and a shockingly busy first day of free agency that included adding a number of top names, there are plenty of questions surrounding the Boston Bruins and how they may look next season. With so many possible lineup combinations and the team having yet to even practice together once, it would be understandable to leave fans wondering how the team may be structured in 2021-22. However, head coach Bruce Cassidy is not afraid to hint at his plans. Speaking with beat writer Eric Russo, Cassidy was open about who he sees stepping into some of the most important vacancies in the Bruins lineup.

First and foremost on the minds of most is who will step into Krejci’s role as second line center, especially after Taylor Hall was re-signed following stellar production with Krejci and Craig Smith. Well, despite some speculation to the contrary, Occam’s Razor prevails. Third line center Charlie Coyle will indeed get the first shot at centering the second line, as Cassidy called him the “obvious choice”. Coyle may be coming off of the worst offensive season of his career, but the two-way forward will be healthy this season following off-season knee surgeries and will look to return to form, which is a player whose career full-season scoring pace is 40 points. Cassidy notes that with Hall and Smith having experience playing together and Coyle and Smith also having played together, the familiarity that the three would share makes it an easy initial choice as the team’s second line. However, Cassidy does note that free agent additions Erik Haula and Tomas Nosek both play their best at center as well and could be next in line if Coyle is not a fit.

On defense, while some were content with the Bruins’ most frequent top pair of Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy, not everyone was convinced. Count Cassidy among that group. The head coach opined that the role may have been asking too much of Grzelcyk. He believes that free agent addition Derek Forbort, who plays a much more defensive and physical style, could in fact be the better match with McAvoy. Cassidy stated that between competing for that role and likely playing alongside Brandon Carlo on the top penalty kill unit, Forbort will be expected to play “big minutes”. Of course, Forbort will have to prove himself worthy, as Grzelcyk has the advantage of being the incumbent. Cassidy noted that Mike Reilly will likely continue to play with Carlo, but that too could change if Grzelcyk is bumped from the top pair.

Elsewhere on the roster, Cassidy firmly stated his support for Connor Clifton as getting the first shot as the regular third pair right-handed defenseman in the wake of Kevan Miller’s retirement. However, he also noted that youngsters Jakub Zboril and Urho Vaakanainen as well as recovering veteran John Moore all have experience playing their off side and will compete for opportunity. In the bottom-six, Cassidy offered a vote of confidence for Jake DeBrusk retaining his starting job as third line left wing, while also advocating for top prospect Jack Studnicka to get a look for a roster spot. With the versatility of additions Haula, Nosek, and Nick Foligno, there are plenty of potential combinations on that third line and there is a high likelihood of a more offensive fourth line in Boston than in years with the overflow of the third line position battle matched with the likes of Curtis Lazar and Trent Frederic. In goal, Cassidy did not just announce free agent splurge Linus Ullmark as the new starter; in fact quite the contrary. Cassidy expects Ullmark and breakout rookie Jeremy Swayman “to compete for the majority of the starts.” While Ullmark was compensated like a starter by the Bruins in both salary and term, Cassidy notes that Swayman will be given a fair chance to “come in and potentially be the No. 1.”

How it all plays out in Boston remains to be seen, but Cassidy did not hold anything back about his thought and plans for the current roster. That should give fans of the Bruins and their Atlantic Division rivals something more concrete to consider as the days tick down to the start of the regular season.

Boston Bruins| Bruce Cassidy| Free Agency| Retirement Brandon Carlo| Charlie Coyle| Charlie McAvoy| Connor Clifton| Craig Smith| Curtis Lazar| David Krejci| Derek Forbort| Erik Haula| Jake DeBrusk| John Moore| Kevan Miller| Linus Ullmark| Matt Grzelcyk| Mike Reilly| Nick Foligno| Taylor Hall| Tomas Nosek| Trent Frederic| Tuukka Rask| Urho Vaakanainen

12 comments

Boston’s Taylor Hall: “I Want To Play Here, Not Just For One Or Two More Years”

May 29, 2021 at 11:04 am CDT | by Zach Leach 5 Comments

The Taylor Hall trade has worked out splendidly so far for the Boston Bruins. The East Division finalists gave up the below market price of a (late) second-round pick and ill-fitting young forward Anders Bjork to land the 2018 Hart Trophy winner, at 50% retention, and Curtis Lazar, with an additional year on his contract, from the division rival Buffalo Sabres. Lazar as a throw-in has been excellent in his own right as the anchor of the fourth line, but Hall has come back to life in Boston and has made a major impact on the club. Since he was acquired on April 12, the Bruins have lost just three games in regulation out of the 21 in which Hall has played, including the playoffs, and have just one loss by more than one goal. In 16 regular season games, Hall quadrupled his goal total and nearly matched his total points from 37 games with Buffalo, tallying 8 goals and 14 points. He then added two goals and an assist in the Bruins’ five-game upset of the Washington Capitals in round one. Entering their second round series against the New York Islanders, the Bruins have been in every single game since Hall arrived and are 3-0 against the Isles in that span.

Unsurprisingly, both sides are very happy about the current arrangement and have interest in an extension. The Bruins actually courted Hall this past off-season, but could not find a way to afford the winger. Even with his return to form in Boston, Hall will likely have a much lower market value as compared to the $8MM price tag paid by the Sabres for a one-year deal. Hall admitted as much to ESPN, stating “I don’t even know what my worth is right now, honestly.” That alone is an exciting sound byte for the Bruins, who would like to bring Hall back at a more manageable cost, especially with his center, David Krejci, also in need of a new deal. However, that wasn’t even the most notable part of Hall’s interview:

I do want to play here, not just for one or two more years, hopefully longer than that… I was eager to join a playoff team, I was eager to join somewhere that had good culture, and where winning was sustainable. Because I was looking for somewhere I could re-sign, not just the 20 games to end the season… I’ve been surprised at how much better it’s been than I even thought it was…It showed me how fun hockey can be… So hopefully it all works out.

After a career spent almost exclusively on poor clubs, the soon-to-be 30-year-old Hall is clearly enamored with the idea of remaining in Boston long-term, playing on a deep, talented roster and competing for a Stanley Cup for years to come. He seems intent on spending a substantial portion of his remaining playing career with his current club, and may even be willing to take a discount to do so. With top-six forwards Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, and Craig Smith all signed for years to come at below-market value, the likes of  Krejci, Tuukka Rask, and Patrice Bergeron all considered likely to re-sign when their current deals expire, and young pieces like Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and Jeremy Swayman in place, Boston isn’t going anywhere – especially if Hall signs long-term and maintains this production. Bruins President Cam Neely sees this potential as well, as he too expressed to ESPN that the team hopes to get a new deal done with Hall.

For now, the focus remains on the postseason; negotiations can wait. “I’m not worried about my contract right now, it’s something we’ll figure out in the summer,” Hall said. “I have much bigger things to worry about as a player, as a teammate.” If the Bruins continue to play as they have since the star forward was acquired, it’s fair to wonder how long this run could last and who could stand in the way on their path to a Stanley Cup. The Capitals were no match, the Islanders are up next.

 

Boston Bruins| Buffalo Sabres| New York Islanders| Washington Capitals Anders Bjork| Brad Marchand| Brandon Carlo| Charlie McAvoy| Craig Smith| Curtis Lazar| David Krejci| David Pastrnak| Patrice Bergeron| Taylor Hall| Tuukka Rask

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Injury Updates: McAvoy, Hagg, Hischier, Wild

April 6, 2021 at 7:57 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

The Bruins got some more bad news on the injury front as just prior to their game against Philadelphia, the team announced (Twitter link) that Charlie McAvoy was a late scratch due to an upper-body injury.  The 23-year-old has been a key cog on their back end this season, leading the way offensively with 22 points in 35 games while averaging a team-high 24:23 in ice time.  For context, he’s the only regular Boston blueliner averaging more than 20 minutes a night.  Adding help on the back end has seemingly been a goal for the Bruins dating back to last offseason and if McAvoy is going to miss any extended period of time, that need will only intensify.

Other injury news from around the NHL:

  • Flyers defenseman Robert Hagg is a couple of days away from returning to the lineup, relays Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). The 26-year-old has been out for the last three weeks with a shoulder injury and is averaging three hits a game in 21 appearances so far this season.
  • New Jersey center Nico Hischier has resumed skating as he works his way back from nasal surgery three weeks ago, notes Sam Kasan of the Devils’ team website. It has been a tough season for their new captain as the 22-year-old has been limited to just five games between this, a stint on the CPRA list, and an offseason leg injury.
  • Wild center Nick Bjugstad (upper body) is being evaluated to see if he’s able to play on Wednesday after leaving Monday’s contest early, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link). Meanwhile, winger Mats Zuccarello (lower body) skated today and is questionable for Wednesday after missing the last two games due to the injury.  As for Zach Parise, he is expected to be available to play tomorrow, his first appearance since being put into COVID protocols last month.

Boston Bruins| Injury| Minnesota Wild| New Jersey Devils| Philadelphia Flyers Charlie McAvoy| Mats Zuccarello| Nick Bjugstad| Nico Hischier| Robert Hagg| Zach Parise

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David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand Underwent Offseason Surgeries

October 13, 2020 at 3:08 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 5 Comments

The Boston Bruins have announced that three of their most important players have undergone offseason surgery. Brad Marchand underwent a sports hernia repair on September 14 and has been given a four-month recovery timeline, while David Pastrnak underwent a right hip arthroscopy and labral repair on September 16 and will be out five months. Charlie McAvoy, who underwent a right knee arthroscopy on September 8, has already been cleared to resume normal offseason activities.

Both Pastrnak and Marchand are now questionable for the start of the 2020-21 season, given their proposed timelines (to be clear, these are from the date of surgery). That could change based on when the NHL decides to start things off, but the current target date is still January 1, 2021.

Losing either or both would have a dramatic effect on the Bruins attack, though obviously, it’s a good thing that they had surgery so quickly after elimination from the bubble. Both should be back without missing a huge chunk of the season, hopefully at full strength.

Boston Bruins Brad Marchand| Charlie McAvoy| David Pastrnak

5 comments

Trade Rumors: Ekman-Larsson, Mrazek, Virtanen, Tampa Bay

September 29, 2020 at 7:48 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 24 Comments

Name a top trade target or impending free agent and they seem to be linked to the Edmonton Oilers. While the team clearly needs to help superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, they have cap constraints because of those players as well and holes to fill all over the roster. The team must be confident that they can perform some cap magic, as they have their sights set on making a big splash this off-season. TSN’s Darren Dreger backed up previous rumors today that the Oilers have been talking to the Arizona Coyotes about elite defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. In fact, Dreger notes that discussions have been preliminary, but the interest is serious. It’s a complex situation given the cap situations in both Edmonton and Arizona, but the teams appear to be working through their options when it comes to moving Ekman-Larsson, a proven top-pair commodity. Of course, it’s worth noting that Ekman-Larsson has a full No-Movement Clause and could nix a deal to Edmonton if he chooses. Dreger adds that the Boston Bruins also remain interested; Ekman-Larsson may very well prefer landing alongside Charlie McAvoy on the top pair of a perennial contender.

  • The Oilers are also known to be eyeing an addition in goal and have kicked the tires on a number of netminders on the trade block. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the latest name on that list is the Carolina Hurricanes’ Petr Mrazek. LeBrun believes that Mrazek could be more of a fallback option if Edmonton cannot add Pittsburgh’s Matt Murray or Arizona’s Darcy Kuemper or can’t woo Jacob Markstrom in free agency. Of course, if Mrazek is even available for trade, it may mean that Carolina has already landed one of those three Oilers targets for themselves. Mrazek had a fine season for the ’Canes, but the team is looking to upgrade at starter. Unfortunately for Edmonton, Carolina’s castoff would still be an upgrade for them.
  • From GM Jim Benning’s comments since his Vancouver Canucks were eliminated from the postseason, it should come as no surprise that he is listening to offers for restricted free agent forward Jake Virtanen, according to Dreger. Virtanen has failed to live up to the expectations of being the 2014 sixth overall pick, but is still due a significant upgrade over his expiring $1.25MM AAV. The cap-strapped Canucks have greater needs than Virtanen’s third-line scoring totals and may be able to put his cap space to greater use via trade. Dreger reports that there is plenty of interest in the 24-year-old power forward, who could still grow into the dangerous scorer that he was in junior.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning are less than a day removed from taking home the 2020 Stanley Cup title, but GM Julien BriseBois is already back at work. LeBrun speculates that Tampa must clear at least $10MM in cap space in order to re-sign RFA’s Anthony Cirelli, Mikhail Sergachev, and Erik Cernak and to rebuild a defense with numerous pending UFA’s. As such,  BriseBois can’t afford to waste any time with free agency approaching. LeBrun notes that the two most talked-about names on the Lightning roster right now are forwards Tyler Johnson and Yanni Gourde. However, he notes that both players have full No-Trade Clauses and would have to accept any trade. As a result, LeBrun believes there is a growing suspicion that the Bolts may trade a player or two that no one is suspecting in order to clear cap space. That could mean one of the RFA’s themselves is dealt, or perhaps it could be a player lacking trade protection, such as Brayden Point or Andrei Vasilevskiy. One way or another, the Cup-winning roster will look very different next season.

Boston Bruins| Carolina Hurricanes| Edmonton Oilers| Free Agency| Jim Benning| RFA| Tampa Bay Lightning| Utah Mammoth| Vancouver Canucks Andrei Vasilevskiy| Anthony Cirelli| Brayden Point| Charlie McAvoy| Connor McDavid| Darcy Kuemper| Jacob Markstrom| Jake Virtanen| Julien BriseBois| Leon Draisaitl| Matt Murray (b. 1994)| Mikhail Sergachev| Oliver Ekman-Larsson| Petr Mrazek| Trade Rumors

24 comments

Steven Kampfer Opts Out Of Postseason

July 13, 2020 at 8:16 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

Slipping through the cracks of a refreshingly busy weekend for NHL roster news of many varieties was the announcement that Boston Bruins defenseman Steven Kampfer has joined the list of those players who have opted out of participation in the upcoming postseason. Kampfer took to Twitter to state that he has made the difficult decision not to return to the Bruins for their upcoming postseason run. The veteran revealed that his wife and son suffer from a congenital heart defect that can be complicated by the effects of COVID-19. For that reason, he made a decision that no one can fault him for to put his family’s health and safety first.

Kampfer, 31, is a veteran of 211 NHL games, including ten this season with Boston. While he had not played a major role this season with the Bruins, the team valued his presence last season as they dealt with consistent injury issues on the back end. Kampfer was one of a dozen defensemen to suit up for the Bruins in the 2018-19 season, playing in 35 regular season games as well as three playoff games. His experience and intelligent puck-moving came in handy in tough spots for the Bruins last year and the team rewarded him with a two-year extension last summer. They undoubtedly would like to have him this postseason in case the going gets tough again. Instead, they will have to make do without him for now and hopefully welcome him back next season.

However, the Bruins are in good shape on the blue line, especially given the time off to enter the playoffs fully  healthy for the first time in several years. While the team will be missing Kampfer and Kevan Miller, out all season due to injury, Boston’s training camp roster features ten defensemen with NHL experience. This includes their regular top five of Charlie McAvoy, Zdeno Chara, Torey Krug, Brandon Carlo, and Matt Grzelcyk, a trio of dependable options to fill out the starting lineup in John Moore, Jeremy Lauzon, and Connor Clifton, and top prospects Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril. 

Boston Bruins| Prospects Brandon Carlo| Charlie McAvoy| Connor Clifton| Jeremy Lauzon| John Moore| Kevan Miller| Matt Grzelcyk

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NHL Announces Player Gaming Challenge

April 23, 2020 at 11:57 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

The NHL is trying desperately to stay relevant even as their season sits in limbo and have today announced a new feature for fans to tune into. The NHL Player Gaming Challenge will be a tournament of EA SPORTS NHL 20 games featuring players from each of the 32 organizations. The tournament will go for four weeks starting on April 30th. The league and EA will donate a combined $100,000 in support of COVID-19 relief.

Because the Seattle expansion franchise doesn’t have any players to represent them at this point, Luke Willson from the Seattle Seahawks of the NHL will carry the torch.

The full list of participants:

Anaheim Ducks: Cam Fowler

Arizona Coyotes: Conor Garland, Clayton Keller

Boston Bruins: Jake Debrusk, Charlie McAvoy

Buffalo Sabres: Brandon Montour

Calgary Flames: Noah Hanifin, Matthew Tkachuk

Carolina Hurricanes: Warren Foegele

Chicago Blackhawks: Drake Caggiula, Alex DeBrincat

Columbus Blue Jackets: Elvis Merzlikins, Zach Werenski

Colorado Avalanche: J.T. Compher

Dallas Stars: Stephen Johns, Jamie Oleksiak

Detroit Redwings: Madison Bowey, Anthony Mantha

Edmonton Oilers: Caleb Jones, Darnell Nurse

Florida Panthers: Jonathan Huberdeau

Los Angeles Kings: Michael Amadio, Blake Lizotte

Minnesota Wild: Devan Dubnyk, Jordan Greenway

Montreal Canadiens: Victor Mete, Nick Suzuki

Nashville Predators: Filip Forsberg

New Jersey Devils: MacKenzie Blackwood

New York Islanders: Matt Martin

New York Rangers: Chris Kreider

NHL Seattle: Luke Willson, Seattle Seahawks (NFL)

Ottawa Senators: Brady Tkachuk, Chris Tierney

Philadelphia Flyers: James van Riemsdyk

Pittsburgh Penguins: Zach Aston-Reese, Bryan Rust

San Jose Sharks: Evander Kane, Marcus Sorensen

St Louis Blues: Colton Parayko, Robert Thomas

Tampa Bay Lightning: Tyler Johnson

Toronto Maple Leafs: Zach Hyman

Vancouver Canucks: Thatcher Demko, Adam Gaudette

Vegas Golden Knights: Ryan Reaves, Alex Tuch

Washington Capitals: Evgeny Kuznetsov

Winnipeg Jets: Anthony Bitetto, Kyle Connor

Select games can be seen on NBC Sports and Sportsnet ONE. All matches will also air within NHL Network’s on-air programming or its Twitch channel.

Uncategorized Adam Gaudette| Alex DeBrincat| Alex Tuch| Anthony Bitetto| Anthony Mantha| Blake Lizotte| Brady Tkachuk| Brandon Montour| Bryan Rust| Cam Fowler| Charlie McAvoy| Chris Kreider| Chris Tierney| Clayton Keller| Colton Parayko| Darnell Nurse| Devan Dubnyk| Drake Caggiula| Elvis Merzlikins| Evander Kane| Evgeny Kuznetsov| Filip Forsberg| J.T. Compher| Jake DeBrusk| James van Riemsdyk| Jamie Oleksiak| Jonathan Huberdeau| Jordan Greenway| Kyle Connor| MacKenzie Blackwood| Madison Bowey| Marcus Sorensen| Matt Martin| Matthew Tkachuk| Michael Amadio| Nick Suzuki| Noah Hanifin

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