It didn't take long for Boston University head coach David Quinn to know that Charlie McAvoy was going to be something special. But, this quickly? Surely not.
"We knew he was going to be a great pro, but I don’t know anyone expected he’d make it look this easy," said Quinn, who coached the Long Beach, N.Y., native for two seasons with the Terriers. "I know it’s not easy, and he knows it’s not easy, but … they’ve put him in a great situation. They trust him."
Alongside captain and regular top-pair defense partner Zdeno Chara, McAvoy has helped steer a Boston ship that could have quickly set off course due to a slew of players without regular professional experience stepping into key roles filled by those injured — Adam McQuaid, on defense, for instance.
While McAvoy is one of those young players himself, there is no secret to the success he’s having. He’s confident and just playing hockey.
"It’s an awesome feeling to know that the brass here trusts you," McAvoy, the Bruins’ No. 14 overall pick in 2016, said. "It’s something I’ve worked for — to be trusted in all facets of the game, so (playing in) the last minutes is something I’ve always wanted.
"We have a lot of great defensive players on this team, a lot of guys I’d trust to be out there. When they call my number, I just try to give my team the best chance to win."
As the season has turned out thus far, the Bruins have won more often than not.
McAvoy has played an obvious key role and has the numbers to back it up. He ranked in the top 15 among all NHL rookies with 23 points in Boston’s first 41 games, while playing more hockey than any other first-year player in the league — a tick more than four minutes more, to be exact, as he averages nearly 23 minutes of ice time per game.
McAvoy underwent a heart procedure on Jan. 22 — he was diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) that is not considered to be dangerous to his health but can recur at any time and causes significant symptoms. He was expected to miss at least two weeks, but the setback should not derail his Calder Trophy-worthy season.
Before that forced him out of the lineup, McAvoy had played well beyond his years. Still, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy sees him learning on the job while taking assignments against the likes of Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and some of the NHL’s other top players.
"He’s getting it. … He’s a special player," Cassidy said. "That stuff doesn’t bother him. He wants those situations. That’s what you want out of players. You want them to enjoy the moment and he really takes it on. Other guys, it takes a little while. But, I think we see that throughout the lineup with some of our younger guys. … They’re not afraid of the moment."
McAvoy, former BU captain and Charlestown, Mass., native Matt Grzelcyk, Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen … they’ve all joined the fray for ice time and, as first-time NHLers, have played with great confidence. One reason for that confidence is the presence of grizzled veterans like Chara, Torey Krug, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. In McAvoy’s case, Chara has, naturally, been the guy. There is surely no substitute for experience.
"You can’t put a price tag on playing with a guy like that," McAvoy said of Chara. "The way he talks, the way he breaks things down for me, every shift is almost a teaching moment for him and a learning moment for me. I’m very grateful for that because I know there’s a lot of guys who might not be as fortunate to come in and play with a guy like that. I learn lessons every single game."
Now at age 40, Chara takes on the role of teacher with pride. But McAvoy is a great student, and the strengths of his game have made the ease of entry into the everyday NHL lineup that much easier.
"We communicate a lot, but you have to let them play their game," Chara said of mentoring McAvoy and his fellow newcomers. "You don’t want to be affecting their game too much; you have to let them find their own way.
"(McAvoy is) a strong skater, a strong puck mover. He’s making, most of the time, really good decisions with the puck, and he’s got a lot of patience. For a guy who’s obviously been in the league for a very short time, he’s doing extremely well. He’ll only get better."
Chara’s description of the youngster’s game fits the style the Bruins want to play, right on. Speed and skill are pillars of the NHL game today, and the youthful lineup being put on the ice on a game-in, game-out basis is making things happen at both ends. It’s all part of the plan.
"One of our identities is how we play defensively, as a forward and a ‘D’ group and a goalie group," McAvoy said. "As an entire team, we like to take care of the house, make sure that we have guys picking up sticks and shots from up top. … We want to be a tough team to play against. We want that to be our identity, that no one’s going to get easy goals on us."
While McAvoy has helped execute that style of play so well that he’s entered the conversation as a legitimate Calder Trophy contender, some, perhaps, unexpected situations have also come up over the course of this stellar rookie campaign.
His offensive creativity shone through in scoring a pair of shootout-winning goals for the Bruins. His second came Dec. 21 against Winnipeg, just three days after completing a "Gordie Howe hat trick" by dropping the gloves with Pierre-Luc Dubois of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
In a year full of milestone moments for McAvoy, those two did not even fall on the list at the start of the season. But during his short AHL stint last spring, one worthy former Bruin pulled the rookie aside and offered another teaching moment.
"My first day in Providence, I worked with Tyler Randell for about 15 minutes after practice," McAvoy remembered. "He just kind of taught me how to protect myself. It’s a good guy to learn from."
Many of the firsts are over. He’s gone from a rookie to just a hockey player as the Bruins continue pushing toward the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Of course, learning is good for someone who is just 20 years old, too. Watching closely from down the street, Quinn (Cranston, R.I.) saw — and still sees — McAvoy growing up before his eyes.
"People can lose sight of how young he actually is, but you could really see him mature throughout his two years here," said the fifth-year BU coach, who the Minnesota North Stars drafted 13th overall in 1984. "In his first year and a half (at BU), he had so much on his plate with the draft, world juniors, trade rumors. Once the trade deadline passed and he met with (Bruins general manager Don Sweeney), he really played great, great hockey."
However, Quinn is still getting used to one thing as McAvoy’s first full NHL season keeps on rolling.
"When I drive down 93 and see the huge electronic billboard on the TD Garden with him and Kyrie Irving next to each other, I just start giggling," Quinn said.
From the early looks of things, McAvoy will have a place on Causeway Street billboards for a long, long time to come.
