Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy to make season debut vs. Flames

After a protracted rehab from offseason surgical procedure, Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy will make his season debut Thursday in opposition to the Calgary Flames.

McAvoy, the Bruins’ top-pairing blueliner, underwent a fancy left shoulder arthroscopic stabilization process on June 3 and was anticipated to overlook at the very least six months. Boston coach Jim Montgomery, nevertheless, mentioned Wednesday that McAvoy was forward of schedule and “checking plenty of containers” that will make him out there for Thursday’s sport.

“I am doing effectively,” McAvoy mentioned after Wednesday’s apply. “We’re simply persevering with to only stack these containers up. Be ok with the place we’re and we’re simply going at some point at a time. Getting excited [about coming back].”

Montgomery confirmed McAvoy shall be again in his prime spot with accomplice Matt Grzelcyk in opposition to the Flames, however did not rule out some “mixing and matching” on the again finish as wanted. That is Montgomery’s first season behind the Bruins’ bench however he is conversant in McAvoy’s fame as a game-changing defender.

The 24-year-old McAvoy is coming off a breakout season offensively the place he tallied 10 targets and 56 factors in 78 video games, together with 21 factors on the facility play. He additionally paced the Bruins in ice time final yr at practically 25 minutes per sport, though Montgomery would not see that heavy of a workload in McAvoy’s rapid future.

“We’re very lucky with the D-corps we’ve, we do not want [McAvoy] to play 24 minutes,” Montgomery mentioned Thursday. “However I anticipate him to play 20 [against the Flames]. How he impacts the sport in all three zones [is impressive]. It would not appear to be he takes a second off. Whether or not he is pressuring pucks, he is ending performs, he is hitting somebody or he is taking the puck from the breakout by means of the impartial zone, breaking the puck out and driving the online, we’re getting an opportunity on the web.”

The Bruins lead the Japanese Convention at 11-2-0, regardless of having missed each McAvoy and prime winger Brad Marchand to start out the season. Marchand had offseason hip surgical procedure and returned for Boston on Oct. 27.