Charlie McAvoy

Charlie McAvoy

ON-ICE VALUE
Top-Pairing Defenseman

STRENGTHS
Skating: McAvoy is a phenomenal skater who flies up and down the ice to either create separation or nullify the opposition’s space. His wheels allow him to be more aggressive than your average defender, as he can take chances and recover quickly if things go south. This skating ability lies at the heart of his superb two-way impact.

Assertive: Every move McAvoy makes is executed with conviction. He skates hard, he battles hard, and when he wants to supplement the offense, opponents have a world of trouble containing him. He doesn’t know the meaning of hesitancy, and that boldness is a catalyst on what has been a one-line team for the better part of five years.

Competitive: This is perhaps McAvoy’s most underrated trait. The kid is a gamer. He doesn’t back down from anyone and can hit like a truck. Offensively, he’s not shy about pushing the pace and pressing for offense. In essence, he can contribute wherever the Bruins need him to and appears to embrace that challenge.

WEAKNESSES
Inconsistency: Though McAvoy boasts all the tools to be the single most effective two-way defenseman in the game, he has a few too many off nights to claim that title right now. At times, he sleepwalks through shifts and concedes opportunities that opponents have no business enjoying.

Overzealous: He doesn’t always harness his aggressiveness as well as he could, occasionally losing the plot and blazing forward when a simpler, Bruins-ier decision is available. Boston’s structure doesn’t require him to be a game-breaker every time he takes the ice, so he would do well to work on striking a better risk-reward balance.