With New Contract Complete, McAvoy Set to Take Next Step in his Career

BOSTON- Just weeks into his tenure as head coach of the Bruins, Bruce Cassidy made a trip to Providence. Boston's new bench boss was making the trek down I-95 to check out the Black & Gold's shiniest new prospect, a defenseman out of Boston University who was turning pro after two seasons with the Terriers.
That blue liner was Charlie McAvoy, who had been selected by the Bruins with the 14th overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft some 10 months earlier.

While some players at that stage of their careers - even those that are high draft choices - take time to shake off the nerves that come along with playing the game as a professional, Cassidy realized immediately that McAvoy was different.
"I went down to see him in Providence before he played [in Boston]. Just his ability to break out the puck down there, get pucks through the middle of the ice, shake the first guy and beat another guy with a play up the middle…he had that ability to see it," Cassidy recalled.
And when McAvoy was summoned to Ottawa for Boston's first-round playoff series against the Senators that spring - despite being a 19-year-old with no previous NHL experience - he delivered much the same under the brightest of lights.
"He came to Ottawa and did a lot of the same things," said Cassidy. "The offensive blue line, he was willing to try things to keep pucks alive in terms of pinching and recovering and making plays going to the net. He wasn't fazed by it…those are the times you just watch guys and know they have it."
McAvoy has certainly proven that he has the "it" factor over the first four-plus seasons of his career, which is why the Bruins inked him to the richest contract in the history of the franchise on Friday morning, an eight-year deal with an annual cap hit of $9.5 million that will keep him in the Spoked-B through the 2029-30 season.
"Obviously I'm so overjoyed today. I couldn't be happier," said McAvoy, who thanked the Jacobs family, general manager Don Sweeney, president Cam Neely, his teammates and coaches, agents Mike and Rick Curran, the Bruins fans, and his family in his opening remarks.
"There's no place I'd rather be…it's such an emotional day, it's a bit of a whirlwind, but I couldn't be happier right now…there are so many people that have helped me get to this day…honestly, to come to BU and be able to stay here - thinking back to getting that opportunity in Ottawa all those years [ago]…that kind of laid the foundation.
"It's just been such a dream to get to this point. Everything I've ever wanted was to be here in Boston. I can't believe it. I can't be happier than I am right now."

Throughout his tenure with the Black & Gold, McAvoy has embraced what it means to be a Bruin and the expectations that come with playing in a sports-crazed town like Boston, which factored significantly into his decision to remain with the B's for years to come.
"That was my goal and my vision," said McAvoy, who has made Boston his year-round home. "The championship pedigree of Boston, [it's] something that I've been so appreciative of and thankful for. The team that's fielded every year since I've been here, and well before that, what the Jacobs and Sweens are able to put into the team…every year we're competitive.
"All I know are championship expectations, which I'm so thankful for. That's where you want to be, that's the dream is to win and to have the chance every year, to look across at everyone in the room and say we feel like we can do it.
"That's so special and I feel like that's the culture and that's the expectation here and that's what you want to be a part of…it's where I feel like I belong."
The Bruins' hope is that the 23-year-old becomes the latest in a long line of foundational defensemen that have defined the Black & Gold for decades. From Eddie Shore to Bobby Orr to Brad Park to Ray Bourque to Zdeno Chara, the club has long been built around a generational blue liner that has led the way from the back end.
"I hope he'd relish that and look back on history here," said Cassidy. "We're fortunate to have him. A great draft choice, good development. He followed the guys' leadership in the room. All those things come together and I'm sure Ray would say the same thing when he came onboard.
"Obviously Bobby Orr was a little different when he came in and revolutionized the game. For Charlie, hopefully he has those generational careers like those guys had. That's we all think will happen, hope will happen. It's up to Charlie."

McAvoy's mindset certainly seems to be in the right place to make that a reality.
Despite the success he has achieved at such an early stage of his career - including the mammoth extension he signed on Friday - the Long Beach, New York, native knows there remains plenty of work to be done should he want to be considered in the same category as the greats that have come before him.
"I know I have so much to give and so much to grow and I want to continue to grow into the very best I can be. There is no complacency," said McAvoy. "There is where I am now and where I feel I can get to. Every year, I just want to continue to make strides."
McAvoy, who finished fifth in the Norris Trophy voting last season, should be in position to elevate his game even further during the upcoming 2021-22 campaign as he takes on more responsibility as Boston's No. 1 defenseman. In addition to his elite 5-on-5 play and stellar penalty killing, McAvoy will begin the year as the point man on the B's top power-play unit.
"We know he can play 5-on-5 against the best players, we know he can transition through the neutral zone, O-zone blue line, see sticks. We talked about shooting more, he's trying to build more of that into his game. Now the power-play responsibilities is one more thing on his plate that you keep working with him on," said Cassidy, who also noted that McAvoy will likely see even more time on the PK and in the closing minutes of games.
Cassidy admitted there is plenty of added pressure that can come with all of that increased responsibility. But McAvoy - while acknowledging he always aims to "play a perfect game" - is looking to take it all in stride.
"I don't want to put the world on my shoulders," said McAvoy. "Hockey is a team sport and there are so many incredible players in our room. I think that's one of the best things about our team is our depth. On any given night, guys are gonna step up.
"My expectation for myself is to play a perfect game, which is never actually what happens. But that's sort of the pedigree of what I want to hold myself too…I want to be that guy every night. But we have the depth and talent in here for everyone to pull on the rope."
McAvoy also said he is grateful to have so many people around him that he can lean on as he transitions into the next chapter of his career.
"I just consider myself blessed because I have those guys who are there who I can go to for everything and they're gonna have my back," said McAvoy. "I have so many resources here, so many brothers on the team that I can talk to about things like that…you don't want to have all that pressure, that weight, but the standard that I hold myself to, sometimes it can creep in.
"I have those resources and those people to keep me grounded - my family, my team, coaches, everybody. The support system is incredible for me, and I just get to play hockey."
And the Bruins are thrilled that, for eight more years, he'll be playing hockey in Boston.