Boston Bruins star defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been out since Feb. 15 after suffering a significant AC joint shoulder injury during the USA-Canada round-robin matchup at the 4 Nations Face-Off. The injury led to an infection, which resulted in his admission to the hospital overnight.
His last game action for the Bruins was on Feb. 8, and since then, the team has plummeted down the standings and waved the white flag on the current team's build.
They traded Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers, Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Trent Frederic to the Edmonton Oilers, Justin Brazeau to the Minnesota Wild, and Charlie Coyle to the Colorado Avalanche.
Now with just eight games to go in the regular season, the Bruins sit eight points out of the last playoff spot. However, McAvoy hasn't called it quits on this year yet.
On Monday, the eight-year NHL veteran skated at Bruins practice wearing a full-contact practice jersey.
McAvoy's return to the lineup remains uncertain, but there’s a chance he could be back as soon as Tuesday when the Bruins host the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals at TD Garden. The Bruins look to snap an eight-game losing streak with puck-drop in that one scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
This season, McAvoy has played in 50 games, recording seven goals and seven assists. Over his career, the 27-year-old has totaled 60 goals and 245 assists, reaching the 300-point mark.
