BOSTON –– When Charlie McAvoy skated onto the ice for warmups, he gave himself a moment to take in TD Garden.
Sunday’s preseason game against the Washington Capitals marked McAvoy’s first time in the Boston Bruins’ lineup since February; his 2024-25 season got cut short at 50 games due to an upper-body injury.
Despite the 5-2 loss, McAvoy appreciated the milestone – and the work he put in to get there.
“Be thankful and grateful to be back out there,” McAvoy said. “It was good to play hockey again. When the preseason gets going, some good and some bad – but it was just good to be back out there again and good to feel good. Body feels really good, and just time to get the timing back and legs back under you.”
McAvoy skated on the first pair with Mason Lohrei and the first power-play unit. The defenseman finished the night with two shots and one block through 21:01 of ice time. Lohrei was excited for the return of his D-partner.
“Obviously, he’s one of the best defensemen in the world,” Lohrei said. “He has such an impact on the game. The guy is incredible and I love playing with him.”
