Charlie McAvoy was thrust into a great situation when the Boston Bruins made him the 14th overall selection in the 2016 NHL Draft.
McAvoy has been able to learn from one of the best defensemen of the 21st century in Zdeno Chara, as well as one of hockey’s premier two-way players in Patrice Bergeron. The 21-year-old seemingly never wastes an opportunity to heap praise on Chara, and he found a way to tip his cap to Bergeron right from the get-go of his NHL career.
In a recent Q&A with the NHLPA, McAvoy revealed he chose No. 73 in honor of Bergeron. The veteran center, as all Bruins fans know, is in the midst of his 16th season wearing No. 37 for the Black and Gold.
Bergeron likely will be the last B’s player to wear No. 37, as his still-growing résumé already warrants his number being raised to the TD Garden rafters. McAvoy still has a long way to go to match Bergeron’s success, but he’s off to a pretty good start.
