How the Bruins are looking to jumpstart Charlie McAvoy’s offensive game

Since the start of the 2017-18 season, no Bruins defensive pair has logged as many minutes together as Charlie McAvoy and Zdeno Chara — with the duo skating in 1,901 minutes of 5v5 play over the past 2 1/2 campaigns. 

Given Chara’s pedigree and McAvoy’s potential, it should come as no surprise that Boston has fared well whenever those two hop over the boards together. Even though only 48.61 percent of their faceoffs have come in the offensive zone, the McAvoy-Chara duo has excelled in terms of overall puck-possession and shot-quality metrics — with Boston holding a 318-298 edge in high-danger scoring chances and a 90-65 advantage in goals scored during those 1,901 minutes.

But, especially this year, Bruce Cassidy has been willing to break up that pair when necessary, especially if it allows McAvoy to operate more freely in the offensive zone. 

While McAvoy has seen some extended stretches next to Matt Grzelcyk this year, the latest combination has featured the 21-year-old defenseman skating next to Torey Krug on the B’s second D pair — with Brandon Carlo shifting up to the top grouping in a role similar to the one he filled back during his rookie year in 2016-17. 

“We move Carlo sometimes with Zee, that’s more against (Anze) Kopitar, bigger, frees Charlie up to be a little more on the attack,” Cassidy said following Tuesday’s loss to the Kings. “We will do that going forward, have done it for the past few weeks a little bit here and there. They’ve played together, those two, and have enjoyed that part of it. Like I said, it allows Charlie some shifts where he maybe gets going a little bit on the offensive side of things.

So far this season, the results have been



awfully encouraging whenever McAvoy and Krug have skated together. In 77:40 of 5v5 ice time, the Bruins have a 106-65 edge in shot attempts, 45-31 edge in shots on goal and 10-4 advantage in goals when the McAvoy-Krug combination has been rolled out. 

With 81.54% of their faceoffs coming in the offensive zone, that duo has benefited from some favorable starts, but have made good on those chances — with Krug-McAvoy’s 5v5 goals per 60 minutes rate of 7.72 leading all Bruins D-pairs (min. 50 minutes played). 

This recent shift in terms of partner and O-zone looks has seen McAvoy continue to make positive steps in terms of his offensive game, with the blueliner recording three assists in his last four games while averaging 25:37 of ice time during that stretch. 

“He’s always been playing a lot of minutes, always going to play against top lines. We’ve shared responsibility a little more lately with Carlo, so that’s freed him up to get going the other way a little bit,” Cassidy said of McAvoy Wednesday morning at Warrior Ice Arena. “At least, that’s the plan. It doesn’t always work out that way. 

“Some second lines are equally as talented as the first. Some teams are well-balanced. So you’ve got to be careful. But I think he’s pushing the pace a little more, trying to be more involved in his second layer of offense. I think he’s shooting the puck more on the power play. So a little more dynamic in the offensive part of the game.”

Even if that first goal has still eluded McAvoy this season, the Bruins have to be encouraged that his shot totals continue to be on the uptick. 

Still 21st on the Bruins’ roster (min. 50 minutes played) in terms of individual 5v5 shots per 60 minutes (3.11), McAvoy has landed 10 shots on goal during this four-game stretch, including six against Jonathan Quick on Tuesday night — a new career-high. 

McAvoy hasn’t had much luck so far this year when it comes to cashing in on these chances, but as the shots and chances continue to pile up, Cassidy is hopeful that the floodgates are going to open sooner rather than later. 

“I’m not worried,” Cassidy said of McAvoy’s zero goals. “I would have liked to see him get one yesterday, because we needed it. Florida, we didn’t. Tampa, we needed it. So yeah, I want him to score. We need the goals. For his sake, that would be great to get one.”