Team USA defenseman Charlie McAvoy was admitted to Mass General Hospital on Monday night with an infection that stemmed from a previous upper-body injury, according to multiple reports Tuesday.
McAvoy, who plays for the Boston Bruins, was a central figure in the 4 Nations Face-Off win for Team USA over Team Canada on Saturday. He had left shoulder surgery in 2022.
McAvoy is the son-in-law of Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan and is serving as assistant captain on the 4 Nations roster. He missed seven games in January with an upper-body injury and returned to action Jan. 30.
His status for Thursday’s final, a rematch between the North American countries, will be determined Wednesday, according to TSN. The Bruins were expected to issue an update on McAvoy after all testing was finished.
McAvoy, 27, delivered a teeth-rattling check on Team Canada’s Connor McDavid that set the tone in the Team USA victory.
He was out of the lineup Monday along with Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk. Tkachuck (lower-body injury) was injured against Team Canada and Matthews (upper-body soreness) is expected to play Thursday. Team USA lost to Sweden, 2-1, and lost Matthew Tkachuck to a lower-body injury in the first period.
“I would anticipate we would (get players back Thursday),” Sullivan said Monday night. “We’ll have to wait and see how things play out here over the next day or so, but obviously there will be contingency planning in the event that we need people.”
Against Sweden, Brady Tkachuk left in the first period after he crashed into a net post.
“Brady obviously had a lower body injury,” Sullivan said Monday night. “We held him out more for precautionary reasons at that point. I haven’t got an update to this point after the game yet, so we’ll see how he responds. But I don’t anticipate it being an issue.”
–Field Level Media
