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McAvoy missed about a month of the 2022-23 campaign while recovering from shoulder surgery, and that's likely all that stood between him and a career year. He had seven goals, 45 assists, 131 blocked shots, 84 hits and a plus-29 rating on the Bruins' blue line, rewarding any fantasy managers that were willing to wait for his return. With the Bruins' supporting cast drastically weakened in 2023-24, McAvoy will again need to be a positive presence from the blue line. He's more than capable of making such an impact at both ends of the ice, and his position on the top power-play unit should help to limit the damage to his scoring numbers, if there is any.
On the strength of 3:07 of power-play time per game, well over a minute more than any year prior, McAvoy set new high-water marks in goals (10), assists (46), points (56), shots on goal (166), game-winning goals (5) and power-play points (21) a season ago. He added 155 hits and 129 blocks for good measure. McAvoy would have projected as a no-brainer No. 1 fantasy defender heading into this upcoming season had he not undergone shoulder surgery in June which is expected to sideline him about six months. It appears as if the earliest we will see McAvoy is early December, so keep that in mind on draft day.
McAvoy finished fifth in Norris Trophy voting in 2020-21 after collecting 30 points and a plus-22 rating in 41 contests. The 23-year-old defenseman has produced remarkably consistent numbers over his first four seasons in the NHL, registering five to seven goals and 28 to 32 points each year while never playing in fewer than 51 games or more than 67. That type of trend gives McAvoy a safe fantasy floor but there is upside here as well. McAvoy logged 24 minutes per game on Boston's top pairing and responded with a career-best 0.59 points per game, an uptick from his first three seasons. If that upward progression continues, McAvoy should venture into the 40-point territory over a full season in 2021-22.
McAvoy took another step forward in his development last season, notching five goals while setting career highs in assists (27), plus-minus rating (plus-24), shots on goal (101) and average ice time (23:10) in 67 appearances. He was also productive from a physical standpoint, adding 131 hits and 131 blocked shots. The 22-year-old American will continue to be featured on the Bruins' top pairing and second power-play unit in 2020-21, but don't expect much in terms of point production on the man advantage from McAvoy, who's only posted 11 power-play points in 184 games through the first three years of his career. Lackluster power-play production aside, McAvoy will remain a solid second or third fantasy option at defense this season as a player that will produce respectable totals in nearly every category.
When healthy, as he was during the Bruins' lengthy 2018-19 playoff run, McAvoy is a minute-gobbling two-way force on the Boston back line. The 2016 first-rounder has, however, dealt with some injury/health woes during
his two full seasons with the organization. Last year, he suited up for 54 regular-season contests, en route to notching seven goals and 28 points. At just 21 years of age, McAvoy has plenty of untapped potential, and if he reaches his ceiling, he's a player the Bruins can build their blue line around. There's plenty of value in that, a reality that has led to a contract impasse between the team and the current restricted free agent. On the plus side, McAvoy has stated his desire to remain a Bruin for the long haul, and that's something the team would love to make a reality.
In his first full NHL season, McAvoy recorded seven goals and 32 points in 63 games to go along with a plus-20 rating. Missed time due to a knee injury kept McAvoy out of the final Calder Trophy running, but he profiles as the next in a long line of outstanding Boston blueliners. The 20-year-old already displays rare poise for his age and it's not hard to imagine McAvoy enjoying an increased level of production in 2018-19 given his strong skating ability and puck skills. Moreover, the 2016 first-rounder sees a share of power-play ice time, which helps his fantasy cause. McAvoy's defensive game has room for growth, but the tireless youngster figures to get better in that department as he gains further experience handling big-bodied opponents at the pro level.
Although the 14th pick in the 2016 NHL Draft just turned 19 this past December, McAvoy is already penciled in for a key role on the Boston blue line this coming season. After signing his entry-level deal with the Bruins last April, McAvoy saw his first taste of NHL action, logging three helpers in six playoff games. In doing so, he displayed tremendous poise -- moving the puck crisply, demonstrating tape-to-tape passing ability, and most importantly, holding his own defensively. It would thus be a major surprise if the Boston University product doesn't begin the 2017-18 season working in a top-four role for the big club. With power-play duty likely on tap in that scenario, McAvoy already merits fantasy attention at this early stage of his NHL journey.
McAvoy, who the Bruins took 14th overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, says that he models his game after Drew Doughty of the Kings. With the B's having bid adieu to Johnny Boychuk and Dougie Hamilton over the past couple of years and blueline pillar Zdeno Chara 39 years old, McAvoy -- who turns 19 in December -- represents a key piece of the future on the B's back line. Though the team has some immediate needs on that front, McAvoy won't be rushed, though local Bruins fans will have an opportunity to do some advance scouting of the Long Beach, N.Y. native, given that he'll skate for Boston University this coming season. The 6-foot-1, 200 pounder is a good skater, with strong puck skills, traits that should lead to him assuming a top-four D-man role for the Bruins in time. In fact, he's already the team's top blue line prospect, given that 2015 first-rounder Jakub Zboril took a modest step back last season.
