What happened to Charlie McAvoy? Bruins beat reporter shares concerning injury rumor on Team USA and Bruins D-man

Charlie McAvoy, a defenseman for the Boston Bruins, was hospitalized Monday night after an injury before Team USA’s game against Team Sweden at TD Garden. Bruins beat reporter Jim McBride confirmed the news. The injury is an upper-body issue that forced the USA to play against Sweden without McAvoy in the lineup, and they lost 2-1.

McAvoy has had shoulder problems before. He had surgery on his left shoulder in 2022. As per the sources Charlie McAvoy was admitted to the hospital on Monday night with an infection that stemmed from a minor injury. Moreover, it has been reported that there is no long term concern.

Charlie McAvoy wasn’t the only injured player for Team USA. Matthew Tkachuk had a lower-body injury, and Auston Matthews had soreness. Brady Tkachuk left the game after crashing into the net post. Team USA finished the game with only 10 forwards.

Despite the injuries, Team USA worked hard. Coach Mike Sullivan said the team spread out ice time to avoid overloading any player.

“Yeah, it is not easy. We lose a guy that early in the game, we’re already down one. We try to spread the minutes around a little bit so nobody got an extensive workload, but when you’re down two guys that early in the game, it is what it is,” Sullivan said (via bostonglobe.com). “I thought the guys competed hard.”

Sullivan hopes some injured players will return for Thursday’s championship game against Canada.

Tkachuk and Werenski praise Charlie McAvoy's hit on Connor McDavid

Charlie McAvoy delivered a big hit on Connor McDavid during Team USA's 4 Nations Face-Off game against Canada on Saturday. McDavid had just scored, and McAvoy’s hit sent him into the glass. The hit helped shift the momentum, and 19 seconds later, Jake Guentzel scored the tying goal. Following this, USA scored two unanswered goals for a 3-1 win.

Matthew Tkachuk praised McAvoy’s hit, calling it one of the best plays of the game.

“That also is a message-sending moment - probably one of the plays of the game,” Tkachuk said (via AP News) “They just scored a goal, the building was rocking and Charlie comes there and pops McDavid, like one of the hardest hits I’ve seen.”

Zach Werenski also talked about the hit. He said it was a game-changer and praised McAvoy for his physical play.

“That hit Charlie threw on (McDavid) was kind of a game-changer,” Werenski said. “He’s been known to do that. He’s great with his size, he’s really good defensively, and I thought that was a perfectly timed hit to get our team going in the right direction.”

Charlie McAvoy’s strong performance helped the U.S. secure a spot in the final, which will be played at TD Garden in Boston.