While the United States will compete against Canada in the final of the 4 Nations Face-Off on Thursday without defenseman Charlie McAvoy, it is his NHL team, the Boston Bruins, that is most affected by his injury. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Bruins are “extremely unhappy” with the way Team USA’s medical staff managed McAvoy’s condition during the tournament.
McAvoy initially sustained an injury during a match against Finland but was later cleared to play against Canada. However, his shoulder issue appeared to worsen, ultimately leading to an infection that required hospitalization. Friedman reported that the Bruins were dissatisfied with how the situation was handled, believing McAvoy did not receive adequate medical attention.
Although Team USA was aware of the injury from the Finland game, both the team and the player attempted to push through it, exacerbating the problem. “From what I understand, by Monday, his pain had intensified, leading to his hospital admission, where it was discovered that the injury was more severe than initially diagnosed,” Friedman explained. Additionally, an infection was found that necessitated surgery for removal. “I don’t know whether he was administered a shot or some other treatment that led to the infection, but it was something along those lines,” he added.
Rather than Team USA, it was the Boston Bruins who publicly disclosed McAvoy’s condition on Wednesday. Their statement confirmed that he was suffering from both an infection in his right shoulder and a significant injury to his AC joint in the same shoulder. The team further revealed that McAvoy remained in the hospital receiving IV antibiotics and that his condition was showing signs of improvement.
When contacted by The Athletic, Team USA’s general manager, Bill Guerin, declined to comment in detail. However, he did express his full confidence in the national team’s medical staff. “Guerin, who also serves as the president of hockey operations and general manager for the Minnesota Wild, would not discuss the matter further but emphasized his trust in the medical team handling the situation,” The Athletic reported on Wednesday.
According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, McAvoy’s medical procedure will keep him sidelined on a week-to-week basis until his shoulder has fully healed.
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