Charlie McAvoy Rejoins An Unfamiliar Bruins Roster

Charlie McAvoy has endured a strenuous few weeks, and nothing would’ve made him happier than rejoining his Boston Bruins teammates back on the ice. However, when he finally got the chance to do so at practice on Tuesday, it was with a team he hardly recognized.

While McAvoy has missed the last 15 games, the Bruins have torn down their roster to the studs, trading away many of the teammates and friends he’s had throughout his entire career.

“There’s another aspect of this game that has nothing to do with on the ice, and that’s the friendships and the relationships,” McAvoy told reporters in Anaheim. “The reality of it is, I’ve been here a while now, and I see that a lot of my friends are no longer here. I understand that there’s a business part of it, I do. I get it, but it doesn’t make it easier to see a lot of your best buddies in other spots.”

One by one, the Bruins dismantled their longstanding core ahead of the NHL trade deadline.

First, Trent Frederic was sent to Edmonton. Soon after, Justin Brazeau was on his way to Minnesota.

Then came the big moves.

Charlie Coyle to Colorado, Brandon Carlo to Toronto, and finally, Brad Marchand to Florida in a trade that sent shockwaves across the league.

Instead of being with the Bruins at the time, who were on the road in Tampa, McAvoy could only watch the demolition unfold from his couch at home.

“I really wished I was down with the group to get a pulse on the guys and to sort of go through it together,” said McAvoy. “I do believe that having people with you to lean on is always the best way to go through things.”

READ MORE: Charlie McAvoy Injury Creates Long-Term Issues For Bruins (And Hockey)

McAvoy has essentially been isolated from the team since the middle of February. A once-in-a-career opportunity of playing for Team USA in the Four Nations Face-Off was derailed after a shoulder injury he suffered developed an infection that required surgery, landing him in the hospital.

“The infection was moving pretty fast,” said McAvoy. “It got very serious, very quick. I’m just trying to leave it in the past, but it was really scary. It was scary for me, and it was was scary for my family, mostly. I could not be more grateful for all the people at [Mass General Hospital] and all the people that took such amazing care of me in a time when I really needed it. Those people, they’re the heroes of this story, and they mean the world to me.”

There’s still no timeline for when McAvoy will be healthy enough for game action. With the Bruins pretty much out of the playoff picture and only 10 games remaining on their schedule, that may not come until next season.

When McAvoy does eventually return, he, David Pastrnak, and Jeremey Swayman will form the new leadership group for the Bruins, helping them navigate through uncharted territory.

They know what the destination is. They just have to find out how to get there.

“It’s tough to not be in the fight,” McAvoy said. “It’s tough to lead from the sidelines when you’re not within the group and you’re not there. Moving forward, it’s probably our most important objective, how we’re going to get it back and what we’re going to do to leave it better than the way we found it. We’ve certainly got some work to do on that front, but it’s a challenge that we’re fortunate to have. I know the both of us know what it means to be a Boston Bruin and what it looks like and what it feels like to be a part of the winning teams, the special teams. It’s right there. We just got to get it back.”

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