Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy is facing a potential suspension exceeding six games to start the upcoming season. This follows an "in-person hearing" offered by the NHL's Department of Player Safety regarding a slashing incident involving Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Friday night's Game 6. The play, which occurred in the final moments of the Bruins' series-ending loss, resulted in McAvoy receiving a five-minute major penalty and an automatic game misconduct. Benson was assessed a minor penalty for tripping on the same sequence. An in-person hearing, unlike a phone hearing, allows the league to impose a suspension of longer duration, potentially impacting the start of next season for McAvoy and the Bruins.
The incident unfolded as McAvoy was skating back to touch up on an icing call, with Benson attempting to get to the same spot. Benson's action, described as taking out McAvoy's feet and sending him into the boards, preceded McAvoy's retaliatory swing. Reports indicate McAvoy immediately skated toward Benson and delivered a "baseball-swing slash" connecting with the Sabres forward. This disciplinary review comes on the heels of a series where McAvoy had other on-ice altercations, including a low hit on Beck Malenstyn and a high hit on Josh Doan earlier in Game 6.
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McAvoy's history with the league's disciplinary arm includes prior suspensions. The timing of this latest review coincides with the end of the Bruins' season, which concluded with a six-game series defeat to the Sabres. McAvoy averaged significant ice time throughout the series, recording two assists and a minus-6 rating. The Bruins' inability to win any of their home games contributed to their early playoff exit.
