All signs indicate the Boston Bruins will be without Charlie McAvoy to start the 2026-27 NHL season. The Department of Player Safety has scheduled McAvoy for an in-person hearing after the blueliner delivered a vicious slash on Buffalo Sabres’ Zach Benson in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The fact that McAvoy’s hearing with the NHL‘s Department of Player Safety will be conducted in person is not anecdotal. In fact, it changes everything. “If the Department of Player Safety determines that any Supplemental Discipline from an infraction will result in five games or less, the hearing is conducted by phone,” as stated on NHL.com.
Considering the aggressiveness of McAvoy’s slash on Benson in the dying minutes of Game 6 of the first round, and the fact that McAvoy will have to show up at the league’s office in New York City, it’s safe to assume McAvoy will be suspended for more than five games. That suspension will be served to start the 2026–27 NHL regular season.
Official details of McAvoy’s hearing
On May 2, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced it had offered an in-person hearing to McAvoy. Two days later, the details of that meeting have been confirmed by the league.
Charlie McAvoy against the Sabres
“Boston’s Charlie McAvoy will have an in-person hearing on Monday, May 11th at the NHL’s office in New York City for slashing Buffalo’s Zach Benson,” the announcement read, via @NHLPlayerSafety on X.
Before making any plans for the summer, McAvoy will make an offseason visit to the Big Apple. As he shows up at the NHL’s offices in Hudson Yards, just blocks away from Madison Square Garden, the Spoked B’s top blueliner is expected to walk out of the building with a suspension. Exactly how long is uncertain, but it will be at least six games.
McAvoy set for his third suspension
“Just out of respect for the process, I’m probably not going to comment anything on it until I can have the chance to speak with them,” McAvoy answered a question on the in-person hearing during his end-of-season availability, via WEEI Sports.
McAvoy is now on track for the third suspension of his NHL career. The latest came during the 2023–24 campaign, when he was suspended without pay for four games for an illegal check to the head of Florida Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
The star blueliner was also suspended one game for an illegal check to the head of Josh Anderson of the Columbus Blue Jackets. This time around, McAvoy is set for an even longer—as well as more expensive—suspension.
