Having Zdeno Chara As Mentor ‘Meant Everything’ To Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy

Charlie McAvoy got pretty comfortable playing alongside Zdeno Chara as the Boston Bruins’ top-pairing defensemen.

But, as you certainly know by now, that’s not the case this year as Chara signed with the Washington Capitals in the offseason. McAvoy now will play against his former teammate for the first time at TD Garden this season.

Chara, unsurprisingly, served as a mentor for McAvoy. And he elaborated on that prior to puck drop on NBC Sports Network’s pregame coverage.

“It meant everything,” McAvoy told NBCSN’s Pierre McGuire prior to puck drop. “He just taught me so many things on and off the ice. I’m just so incredibly grateful and I feel blessed to have been able to play with him.”

While it will be different to see Chara on the other side of the offense, it still will be a battle between the two top teams in the East Division.