Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy will sit out the opening six games of next season after the National Hockey League imposed a suspension without pay for a violent stick attack on Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Boston’s playoff elimination on May 1st.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the discipline on Tuesday, following an in-person hearing at league headquarters in New York the previous day. The face-to-face meeting allowed officials to consider penalties exceeding five games.
The controversial play unfolded with 1:31 remaining in the third period when Benson tripped McAvoy while both players pursued a loose puck before colliding with the end boards. After getting back on his feet, McAvoy skated aggressively toward the Buffalo player and delivered a baseball bat-style swing with his stick, striking Benson in the stomach area.
Officials assessed McAvoy a five-minute major penalty for slashing plus a game misconduct, while Benson received a two-minute minor for the initial tripping infraction.
Buffalo completed their 4-1 victory that night, securing the Eastern Conference first-round matchup with a 4-2 series triumph that ended Boston’s playoff run.
The 28-year-old McAvoy has the right to challenge the suspension through an appeal process. This marks his third disciplinary action from the league during his nine-year professional career, having faced two previous suspensions and one fine.
McAvoy posted career-best offensive numbers this past season with 61 points on 11 goals and 50 assists, while accumulating 62 penalty minutes across 69 regular-season appearances. He contributed two assists during the Buffalo series.
Throughout his NHL tenure exclusively with Boston, McAvoy has recorded 71 goals and 361 total points with 491 penalty minutes over 573 regular-season contests. His postseason statistics include six goals, 50 points, and 103 penalty minutes in 97 playoff games.
