Charlie McAvoy speaks on this new Boston Bruins defensive pairing

PUBLICATION

Joshua Deeds
September 5, 2024 (7:37 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

The Boston Bruins held Captain's Practice this week at Warrior Ice Arena, on Tuesday. Marchand led the practice Marchand and Charlie McAvoy would be asked to expand upon current topics from surgeries to newly arrived players in Boston.

The Bruins signed defenseman Nikita Zadarov during the offseason and is projected to be paired with Alternate Captain Charlie McAvoy.

McAvoy felt the signing would be a big help to expand his game on the ice, allowing McAvoy to utilize his offensive skills more.

"A lot of fun. I really enjoyed watching him from afar and the player that he is and the career that he's had, and I mean, I'm thrilled with the opportunity to have him here, and he makes our D core really, really whole," McAvoy told reporters, per team-provided video. "We've got a little bit of everything, and I'm just really happy that he's here, and if I get the chance to play with him, I think we'll hit it off. I think we'll be really good together."

Zadarov is 6'4", 248 pounds, and has some size on McAvoy and he embodies what many people love about the Bruins, a highly-physical game.

"It's good. It's good to have size. I think you're seeing a little bit of the makeup of a lot of the good teams in this league," McAvoy said. "... He's big. He's mean. He's angry. He has skill. He has all the things that I think you need. He's someone who everybody has to know when he is out on the ice, and I think that that's someone that you really want to have on your team."

For McAvoy and the Bruins, the culture off-ice is as important as the culture replicated on the ice.

It's the results and dedication that matter to McAvoy and the Bruins, and the results the team has posted the last two seasons show, they're contenders.

"It means a lot. I think it's something that everybody here has. It's a culture that's carried on for a long time ever since I've been here," McAvoy said. "We bring you in with open arms. That's what happened to me, and I've seen it happen to everyone else who comes in here.

"You see the work ethic. You see how guys carry themselves. Just the mannerisms of people around the room. The respect that you see and really the love ... it's hard not to fall in line. It's pretty easy to just fall in here, just to be a part of it.

Zadarov was one of the free-agents who was highly-sought after during the post-season. This was an absolute win of a signing.

Source: NESN
How Charlie McAvoy Feels About This Potential Bruins Defensive Pairing