What happened to Charlie McAvoy? Boston Bruins star's injury update and return status

Boston Bruins defenceman Charlie McAvoy took a slapshot to the face from Canadiens blueliner Noah Dobson during Saturday’s game.

Boston Bruins defenceman Charlie McAvoy suffered an injury during Saturday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

Nov 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman (1) checks on teammate Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) who got hit by a shot in the face during the second period of the game against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

What happened to Charlie McAvoy?

The 27-year-old took a slapshot to the face from Canadiens blueliner Noah Dobson with less than nine minutes remaining in the second period. McAvoy went down immediately and was assisted off the ice by the team’s training staff. According to The Canadian Press, teammate Nikita Zadorov was seen trying to retrieve lost teeth after the play.

Will he return?

McAvoy was ruled out with an upper-body injury before the start of the third period.

“Charlie McAvoy (upper-body) will not return to tonight's game," the team confirmed in a post on X.

Next game status

If McAvoy is unable to play Monday against the Carolina Hurricanes, Henri Jokiharju will likely be inserted back into the lineup.

Reactions

Video of the incident went viral on social media, sparking concern from fans.

One person wrote, "Dear lord... Charlie McAvoy takes a clapper right to the mouth. Genuinely hope he's alright. That's scary."

Another added, "I am not joking when I say the NHL should pause the season until Charlie McAvoy is full healthy. He should not have to lose games because someone on a fake team injured him. The NHL needs to take a stand."

A third person commented, "I feel for the guy, I really do. I hope it’s not TOO serious (it likely is) and that he’s back soon."

Another user wrote, "At a bar with a big screen. We saw all his teeth come out on 4k. It was horrible. I feel so bad I hope it wasn’t anything more serious than his teeth. Just scary."

Another commented, "Nothing he could do. I feel so bad. Hope it’s nothing serious. You know it’s bad when they take him off on the habs bench."

McAvoy stats

Before leaving the game, McAvoy had logged 13:41 of ice time, blocked three shots, and taken a slashing penalty.

Entering Saturday’s game, the American defenceman had recorded 14 assists while averaging 24:20 minutes of ice time over 18 games.