Life in the NHL can be daunting for a 21-year-old, and Charlie McAvoy is finding that out the hard way.
The second-year Boston Bruins blueliner has played in just 17 games this season, missing a large chunk of the campaign due to a concussion, and currently is being held out with a lower-body injury. But the former Boston University standout also is learning the way of life off the ice.
McAvoy confirmed to the Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont that he was guilty of being tardy on two team-related occasions, and that he was approached about it by one of the team’s senior members — Brad Marchand.
The 30-year-old winger is one of the few remaining pieces of Boston’s 2011 Stanley Cup-winning roster and has logged 643 regular season games. He told McAvoy to start practicing good habits now.
“We really addressed it there, the habits that I need to have,” McAvoy told Dupont about his conversation with Marchand. “As a younger guy on the team and someone who’s growing. He’s really looking out for my future. How I carry myself now will set the standard for how I am for the rest of my career. And for that I couldn’t be more thankful. Versus, say, playing in a market where maybe you’re allowed to get away with certain things … and I guess, you know, you don’t reach your full capabilities of being the best leader or best person you can be. I felt much better after the conversation.
“I don’t have to change very much,” he added. “Just making sure I am always there, that I’m the first to get there and one of the last guys to leave. As far as working hard and competing, those are things that I pride myself on. I don’t feel I need to change much there.
“The onus is on me, especially as a young guy, to make sure I am always there — five minutes early, 10 minutes early, 15 minutes early. Just to make sure I am doing that. Because that’s just how it goes.”
The Bruins benefit from having a strong core of experienced leaders there to help guide McAvoy through the early stages of his career. Given his age and skill set in the era of puck-moving defensemen, McAvoy is one of the Bruins’ most valuable assets.
