The Boston Bruins find themselves in an interesting spot heading into the 2025-26 campaign. After a disappointing 2024-25 season, the hope is that the B’s will be able to bounce back and reemerge as a playoff contender moving forward.
Of course, there are a lot of things that would need to go the team’s way in order for that to happen. One thing involves the team simply staying healthy, as several players were in and out of the lineup with various ailments last season. One guy who fell victim to the injury bug was star defenseman Charlie McAvoy.
The 2024-25 season was a tough one for McAvoy, as he suited up in a career-low 50 games for the Bruins, scoring seven goals and dishing out 16 assists. After suffering an upper-body injury during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, McAvoy ended up not taking the ice for the B’s again during the season.
McAvoy has spent the offseason getting himself healthy, as the Bruins will be counting on him to lead their defense in the upcoming campaign. If you ask former NHL defenseman Thomas Hickey, he thinks that McAvoy may just be the most important player on Boston’s roster.
“You talk about importance to a hockey team … the Bruins go as he goes,” Hickey said on NHL Network. “He’s got some snarl, he’s got some edge. He’s a big guy, he’s strong, but what stands out the most to me when I watch him play is the confidence. He exudes it all over the ice.”
Story continues below advertisement
After trading Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers, the Bruins will be looking for new leaders to step up for them. That will largely fall on the shoulders of McAvoy and David Pastrnak, as they are set to be the team’s assistant captains for the upcoming season.
If McAvoy can stay healthy this upcoming season, there’s no doubt that Boston will be better than they were last season. And if the rest of the team rallies around him, the Bruins could potentially find their way back to the playoffs sooner than expected.