Player Discussion Charlie McAvoy IV

Dennis Bonvie

Registered User
Dec 29, 2007
31,513
21,131
Connecticut
McAvoy coming out high isn't a huge issue because the diamond can/will rotate. He does get caught in no man's land briefly covering no one which did contribute to the goal as he could/should of been a bit tighter to the Florida shooter. Coyle takes his spot correctly down low, but completely losses focus on Bennett.

Charlie chases a lot. Hard to keep the box intact as designed.

Anyway, not exactly the ideal situation to have your forward playing where there should be a defenseman.

Lindholm screws up the box like that often too. Probably one reason why they prefer Carlo, Peeke, Forbort or Wotherspoon on the PK if they can help it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BruinDust

Patdud

Registered User
Sponsor
Mar 23, 2022
2,011
3,012
New Hampshire
That goal never happens if McAvoy just stays in position and plays the puck carrier one-on-one. If your down by a few goals trying to make an impact, OK, I can see trying to step up there for a hit. But a tied game with your season on the line basically? Amateur stuff quite frankly.
thats Monty's system, he wants the dmen taking risks. the cassidy structure is gone. Bruins play a loose zone and its constantly leading to them running around and someone open. It just doesnt fit some of these guys skillsets tbh. id be fine with a HC change for no other reason than that personally.
 

BruinDust

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
25,537
24,813
Charlie chases a lot. Hard to keep the box intact as designed.

Anyway, not exactly the ideal situation to have your forward playing where there should be a defenseman.

Lindholm screws up the box like that often too. Probably one reason why they prefer Carlo, Peeke, Forbort or Wotherspoon on the PK if they can help it.

He does. Goes back to poor decision making, trying too hard instead of letting the play come to you.

If Monty is back I want a new assistant coach for the D. This is all coachable stuff and not rocket science.
 

Yeti34

Registered User
Apr 13, 2013
3,182
1,603
Tampa
I don’t know what’s wrong with Mcavoy this is the worst I’ve scene him play.

I don’t think it’s helpful that basically all season he’s playing with Gryz then come playoff time the guy he built chemistry with isn’t good enough to play when the going gets tough.

Monty switching lines and pairings in the early season is fine, but he continued and continues to do it into the post season. I don’t know how he thinks a team can build chemistry with the constant unnecessary tinkering he does.

Also the entire league saw Gryz being a healthy scratch come playoff time. Monty should’ve been sitting him all season.
 
  • Like
Reactions: zaYG

Dennis Bonvie

Registered User
Dec 29, 2007
31,513
21,131
Connecticut
He does. Goes back to poor decision making, trying too hard instead of letting the play come to you.

If Monty is back I want a new assistant coach for the D. This is all coachable stuff and not rocket science.

Some things are hard to get out of a player's game. Especially after 7 seasons of NHL play.

Pasta would be a lot better player if he didn't give the puck away so much. But after 10 seasons, not likely that could happen either.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BruinDust

KillerMillerTime

Registered User
Jun 30, 2019
8,117
6,747
In a tie hockey game with your season on the line, a true No.1 D-man doesn't make that pinch.
He's leading the entire field in terms of TOI in the playoffs so far. I get you need your top defender out there, but if he's not fully fit and it's clearly bothering him, it seems crazy to keep sending him out for 25+ mins every night. The Bruins' defensive group isn't great but it's not that hopeless that it couldn't pick up a bit more of the slack. So I don't get it.
That goal never happens if McAvoy just stays in position and plays the puck carrier one-on-one. If your down by a few goals trying to make an impact, OK, I can see trying to step up there for a hit. But a tied game with your season on the line basically? Amateur stuff quite frankly.
He had back pressure coming and still chose to stand up at CI. That's low IQ.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BruinDust

PB37

Mr Selke
Oct 1, 2002
26,370
22,317
Maine
Quite the decision here by McAvoy. Barkov then manhandles 2 of your forwards trying to cover your ass.



He went for another open ice hit on one of their top offensive players. Hard to fault him for that, especially when there were bodies back and a big hit could change the momentum again like in the 1st. Lohrei had a relatively easy clear but the puck looks to have bounced off his stick or skate right back to Barkov.
 

BruinDust

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
25,537
24,813
He went for another open ice hit on one of their top offensive players. Hard to fault him for that, especially when there were bodies back and a big hit could change the momentum again like in the 1st. Lohrei had a relatively easy clear but the puck looks to have bounced off his stick or skate right back to Barkov.

I'd expect a Bantam-aged D-man to know the situation there and play it safe. Let alone a NHL professional making 9 million a year. Just play the man one-on-one.

Down by a couple goals, sure. Be aggressive. In a tie game 3rd period and you just got scored on and a game you cannot afford to lose?

What exactly did that hit in the 1st period do anyway? Nothing really. Didn't change a thing.
 

PB37

Mr Selke
Oct 1, 2002
26,370
22,317
Maine
I'd expect a Bantam-aged D-man to know the situation there and play it safe. Let alone a NHL professional making 9 million a year. Just play the man one-on-one.

Down by a couple goals, sure. Be aggressive. In a tie game 3rd period and you just got scored on and a game you cannot afford to lose?

What exactly did that hit in the 1st period do anyway? Nothing really. Didn't change a thing.

It's the playoffs, I expect the D to be aggressive and physical. The only thing I can find at fault with McAvoy's decision to step up is that he missed. Even then, Bruins still had three players back and had a chance to clear the puck but Lohrei fumbled.
 

BruinDust

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
25,537
24,813
It's the playoffs, I expect the D to be aggressive and physical. The only thing I can find at fault with McAvoy's decision to step up is that he missed. Even then, Bruins still had three players back and had a chance to clear the puck but Lohrei fumbled.

Well in the playoffs I expect D-men to choose the high percentage safe play and not take unnecessary chances in tie games with their season on the line.

That's the problem, there is a decent chance he misses the hit. It's a 50/50 play basically. Play the puck carrier one-on-one and the play likely dies at the Bruins blue-line 9 times out of 10.

That being said, the D did the same aggressive crap last year and it came back to haunt them.

Meanwhile, the Florida D are doing this year what they did last year. Stay back, play it conservative, box out, force puck carriers the outside. Let the forwards push the pace.

Which style seems to be working better come playoff time?
 

Dennis Bonvie

Registered User
Dec 29, 2007
31,513
21,131
Connecticut
He's leading the entire field in terms of TOI in the playoffs so far. I get you need your top defender out there, but if he's not fully fit and it's clearly bothering him, it seems crazy to keep sending him out for 25+ mins every night. The Bruins' defensive group isn't great but it's not that hopeless that it couldn't pick up a bit more of the slack. So I don't get it.

He had back pressure coming and still chose to stand up at CI. That's low IQ.

Heiskanen is averaging 27:18 per game. Charlie at 24:10.

He's only 5th among Bruin's defensemen in PK time per game. He's still the leader in even strength time, as it should.
 

BruinDust

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
25,537
24,813
Heiskanen is averaging 27:18 per game. Charlie at 24:10.

He's only 5th among Bruin's defensemen in PK time per game. He's still the leader in even strength time, as it should.

Is that a fair comparison though? Heiskanen is the most efficient skater among all the top D-men, basically a modern day Scott Niedermyer, and plays a more efficient style as well. Make more "simple" plays, moves the puck more using passing. McAvoy's style uses a lot more energy.
 

PB37

Mr Selke
Oct 1, 2002
26,370
22,317
Maine
Well in the playoffs I expect D-men to choose the high percentage safe play and not take unnecessary chances in tie games with their season on the line.

That's the problem, there is a decent chance he misses the hit. It's a 50/50 play basically. Play the puck carrier one-on-one and the play likely dies at the Bruins blue-line 9 times out of 10.

That being said, the D did the same aggressive crap last year and it came back to haunt them.

Meanwhile, the Florida D are doing this year what they did last year. Stay back, play it conservative, box out, force puck carriers the outside. Let the forwards push the pace.

Which style seems to be working better come playoff time?

The Panthers team D is very aggressive between the blue lines. That's where they do their work. They're preventing transition and when it slips thru, they're getting in shooting lanes. I don't fault Charlie for being aggressive either, there was a play to be made there. He forces a turnover with a hit, Bruins are back on the attack with a potential 2-1 with Geekie who was still back at the blueline with only one other Panther on that side of the ice. The read was fine, the execution missed, and then the guys who were back failed to snuff out the play.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BruinDust

Dennis Bonvie

Registered User
Dec 29, 2007
31,513
21,131
Connecticut
Is that a fair comparison though? Heiskanen is the most efficient skater among all the top D-men, basically a modern day Scott Niedermyer, and plays a more efficient style as well. Make more "simple" plays, moves the puck more using passing. McAvoy's style uses a lot more energy.

Agreed.

But the poster I was responding to said McAvoy was leading everyone in the playoffs in time on ice. Technically true, but only because the Bruins have played the most games so far.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BruinDust

I am Bettman

Registered User
May 23, 2022
708
1,589
Congratulations to Charlie leading the playoffs in hits

Thank you for your service
How dare he lead the playoffs in hits. He should be playing conservatively and only use his stick so that he doesn’t get out of position. You know what, he should actually healthy scratch himself because that is the best way for him to not get out of position. He should actually give the opponents compliments as they enter our zone so that everybody feels welcome.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad