“I knew the next day we played Sweden and I wasn’t playing, they were like, ‘Give it time’,” Charlie McAvoy remembers how his national teammates consoled him after his nightmare 4 Nations Face-Off fumble. However, turned out that giving time wasn’t going to help. Not really. As the Boston Bruins limp to the finish of the 2024-25 NHL regular season, the 27-year-old defenseman has had hardly any role to play to help the team at least lean on his shoulders.

The Bruins’ alternate captain incurred a rare staph infection on his shoulder during the inaugural international tournament earlier his year. Many would argue that it left a gaping hole in Boston’s blue line ever since. With a shambolic 33-39-10 record, Joe Sacco’s boys are at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, behind even the Sabres. Naturally, with his squad having one of its worst seasons, Charlie McAvoy can’t help but feel the frustration oozing out.

Bruins’ reporter Joe Haggerty posted on X on April 17, sharing the American hockey celebrity’s draining feelings after Boston’s latest defeat to the Devils. “Mentally, emotionally, physically, I’ve gone through so much because of that damn [4 Nations] experience,” McAvoy’s words would make any hockey star feel the blues. The Long Beach, New York, native went on to note how the past few months have taken an immense toll on him, both mentally and physically.

“It cost me my season. It cost me my sanity in a lot of ways. None of this has been easy, and I get emotional when I talk about it,” Haggerty’s social media update reads further. McAvoy’s last competitive game on the ice was on February 15, when the US took on and defeated Canada at the 4 Nations’ round-robin stage. Naturally, being decommissioned ever since was bound to make its impacts felt, and Charlie McAvoy as more troubles to tend to than just accepting the Bruins’ fate.

Charlie picked up an infection on his right shoulder from an acromioclavicular joint injury at the 4 Nations Face-Off. But despite the injury on February 13 against Finland, the American went on the ice against the international neighbors two days later. However, the situation worsened, and his injury was instead re-evaluated as an infection and treated at the Massachusetts General Hospital. It was understandably a lot to take in, especially when your entire season tuns out to be like this.

“I feel a lot about it, every emotion you can have,” McAvoy said Thursday at the Bruins’ end-of-season media availability. “I’m not angry at any one individual. I’m angry at what happened. I’m sad about what happened,” McAvoy told.

Just hours ago, in a previous update, Haggerty claimed that Charlie McAvoy was looking forward to the Bruins clinching a spot in the playoffs. If they did, there “would have been a serious conversation” about the defenseman lacing up. “I feel like I didn’t even play this season,” the NHL sensation was quoted as saying. But while it’s unfortunate that Charlie’s talents couldn’t mesmerize fans since February, maybe to a Bruins fan, it’s not all that surprising that the squad couldn’t give him the chance to suit up either.

The past few weeks have been rough for Boston, to say the least. After sacking head coach Jim Montgomery in November last year, long-time captain Brad Marchand was also traded to the Panthers in March. A double blow that many hadn’t seen coming. Naturally, with the Bruins recording their first 10-match losing streak since the 2009-10 season, fans and insiders clamored that it was a normal result after having parted ways with two of the team’s most important members. On the other hand, after seeing Coach Montgomery’s wisdom shine through with the St. Louis Blues, the grievance only grew. Some consolation for Charlie McAvoy definitely, knowing that he isn’t the only one to blame for the squad’s woes.

Thankfully, others have stepped up to share the blame.

Charlie McAvoy’s injury didn’t bring about the troubles on its own

After a 5-4 OT loss to New Jersey on Tuesday, the Bruins’ playoff chances were buried six feet under beyond a shred of doubt. Missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and posting their first losing record since 2007, is a tough pill to swallow. And we expect fans aren’t entirely amused about the situation, especially after the recent debatable decisions by the team management. Knowing that, CEO Charlie Jacobs knew he had to show up.

“I’m sad it’s over, obviously. That’s pretty much the only answer I can give you right now,” he said, “It’s clear that we have a lot of work to do, and that work is already underway. Despite how difficult it has been to say goodbye to some of our most beloved Bruins this season, these decisions were rooted in the best interests of the future of our franchise.” While the things wait to turn for the better, Charlie McAvoy’s heartbreak only grows looking at his former comrades.

Along with the defending NHL champs, the Florida Panthers, the St. Louis Blues have also clinched their playoff spots, with stats that seem light years better than the Bruins. Both Marchand and Montgomery are faring rather well for themselves since leaving the Boston locker room, which should be even less entertaining to watch for Charlie. But can the early start to the offseason be of any help to McAvoy and his posse? How do you think Coach Sacco could get things on their feet again? Tell us!