Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy has slipped out of the <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/hockey/nhl/”>NHL’s top-10 defensemen rankings for the first time in several years, as revealed by the NHL Network’s latest list released during the 2024-25 season. Persistent injury problems sidelined McAvoy for a significant portion of the campaign, affecting his performance and contributing to his decline in standing. Despite this, he retained the No. 11 spot on the NHL Network’s Top 20 Defensemen list.
The Bruins’ key player, who had been ranked seventh last year, saw his position fall by four spots this season. This reflects a gradual decline from his 2022 ranking when he was fifth overall, followed by sixth in 2023 and seventh in 2024. McAvoy’s injury-related absences during the season played a major role in this downward trend.
Ranking Details and McAvoy’s Injuries During 2024-25 Season
Throughout the current rankings, several prominent defensemen are now positioned ahead of McAvoy, including Edmonton Oilers’ Evan Bouchard, Nashville Predators’ Roman Josi, Carolina Hurricanes’ Jaccob Slavin, Buffalo Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin, Winnipeg Jets’ Josh Morrissey, Tampa Bay Lightning’s Victor Hedman, Dallas Stars’ Miro Heiskanen, Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski, Vancouver Canucks’ Quinn Hughes, and Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar. Each of these players maintained a higher level of play during the season, while McAvoy’s availability was severely limited due to injuries.
McAvoy missed 32 games last season and was ultimately forced to end his year early following an injury sustained at the Four Nations Face-Off tournament in February. Prior to that setback, he appeared in 50 games for Boston, tallying seven goals and 23 points, while contributing defensively with 89 hits and 81 blocked shots, finishing with an even plus-minus rating.
McAvoy’s Reflection on a Challenging Year
Speaking candidly about the struggles he faced, McAvoy acknowledged the difficulties of his latest campaign.
“Yeah, not a great year, really, by any stretch,”
McAvoy admitted near the season’s end.
“There were certainly some pockets of some good memories. But overall, really, a year to forget with an unfortunate ending on my side.”
His frustration was clear but also marked by determination to recover and improve moving forward.
“There really isn’t much. Honestly, it’s all just motivation, really, to not feel like this again. Never been here and I don’t want to be here again, so that’s kind of where we’re at. The struggles I had this year they’re well-known, and it was unfortunate, but I’m excited to put a close on this chapter. Be done with it, honestly, to just get it behind me and then move on from here.”
Outlook for McAvoy and the Bruins in the Upcoming Seasons
With McAvoy now fully recovered and preparing for the 2025-26 season under new head coach Marco Sturm, there is cautious optimism that the Bruins’ defense and overall team performance will improve. Sturm aims to emphasize a more defense-first system, which may depend heavily on McAvoy’s return to form. His success in bouncing back from a tough year could be instrumental in Boston’s bid to return to postseason play after missing the playoffs.
McAvoy’s drop in the NHL rankings underscores the impact injuries can have on top-tier players and highlights the pressure on him to regain his previous elite status. How he responds this season will be closely watched by Bruins fans and NHL observers alike.