The Bruins defenseman said he knew immediately he “was in some trouble” after a ricocheted slapper off the stick of Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson hit him in the face.

“We had just a linear fracture right here all the way down,” said McAvoy, tracing his finger from the left side of his mouth to his jawline. “And some displacement, and lost a lot of teeth on my bottom, but I’ll save you the visual. Just take my word for it.”

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McAvoy was told by doctors that solid food will be back on the menu six weeks after the repairs, which would put him about three weeks away.

As far as returning to play, no timetable has been set.

“Well, we’ll see. There’s steps that we’ve got to cross,” McAvoy said. “Obviously getting weight on, getting energy, feeling good is the biggest thing. You don’t want to be out there and feeling like you’re going to pass out, so there’s that. There’s getting cleared by the doctor. There’s X-rays. There’s certain checkmarks that we have to get by before we can get back in any game.”

Wearing a red noncontact jersey and a full shield, McAvoy practiced with the Bruins at Warrior Arena for the second straight day. Aside from being considerably thinner — he’s lost nearly 20 pounds — McAvoy looked active and engaged throughout the 45-minute session.

Though there was no checking or jostling, McAvoy said any motion is a reminder.

“You feel everything,” he said. “It vibrates a lot, like when you lean down and on shots and stuff. It’s a weird feeling. It’s been one of the weirdest injuries I’ve ever had. The feeling of having so much trauma in your mouth is just a wild feeling. But we’re doing everything we can to get back fast, and I’m healing really good. Hopefully not too much longer.”

McAvoy said building strength is a priority.

“I’ve got to get that back,” he said. “It’s definitely tough, with the lost weight. I feel weak and energy is tough to come by. I lost close to 20 pounds in the first week and a half. It’s a shock to your body, and then trying to get it back now while getting out there and doing more than I’ve done in a while and trying to get energy high, we’re trying to play catch-up.”

The facial fracture is the second big injury McAvoy has suffered this calendar year. He was lost for the season after suffering an injury to his right shoulder acromioclavicular joint and subsequent infection at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

He lauded the support he received from his family and the Bruins in navigating the difficult times.

“My family. The guys. The support of the staff and everybody from the top down is in our corner and in my corner, and that just means the world to me, and to allow me to focus on the things I need to focus on and know that there’s so much love and support for us in this building,” McAvoy said. “You can’t describe it. It just means the world to us.”

McAvoy’s teammates have been excited about having him back on the ice, and vice versa.

“Yeah, it’s great to be around the guys and just to be back in the rhythm a little bit,” said McAvoy, who has 14 points (all assists) in 19 games this season. “It’s nice to see them and that helps me equally the same way. I’m happy to hear it helps them. I take a lot of positivity from this group and so many great guys here that are encouraging me on this way back.”

Marco Sturm said McAvoy’s presence brings up the energy level at practice.

“I can’t say it enough [about him]. He’s such a big part of our team, on and off the ice,” said the coach. “We miss him every day. Just to have him around again, it puts a smile on everyone’s face, including us coaches. He’s one of the best defensemen in the league, I think, and to see him hurt like that hurt all of us. That’s why we can’t wait to have him back.”

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David Pastrnak took a step toward returning from a lower-body injury suffered Nov. 26 on Long Island by skating with skills coach John McLean before practice. Sturm said the All-Star right winger is still considered “day to day.”

Jim McBride can be reached at james.mcbride@globe.com. Follow him @globejimmcbride.