Charlie McAvoy has been enjoying a solid postseason for the Boston Bruins so far, but that will have to go on pause for Game 1 of the East Final as he’ll take a seat in the press box. McAvoy was suspended for a headshot to Josh Anderson during Boston’s Game 6 win.
While suspensions have been one of the stories of the playoffs so far, they haven’t been the story of McAvoy’s young career whatsoever. This is the first time that he’s been forced out due to discipline during his time in the NHL.
A lot of people think that McAvoy’s hit should have been ruled a major penalty, when it only received a minor. A suspension would certainly indicate that the league thinks so too, and it adds to a strange pattern of discipline for McAvoy.
He’s only received two major penalties before – both for fighting – and they have BOTH come against the Blue Jackets. Add on the suspension and McAvoy has now been disciplined for three infractions deemed worthy of punishment worse than a minor penalty. ALL of those have come against the Blue Jackets.
On December 18th, 2017, a young McAvoy fought Pierre-Luc Dubois (and beat him pretty handily as well), and then on March 12th, 2019, McAvoy squared off against Artemi Panarin (who he also beat, according to 67% of voters on hockeyfights.com).
What is with McAvoy and the Jackets?
(H/T Kevin Gibson, hockeyfights.com)
