Bruins' Charlie McAvoy facing potentially lengthy suspension for slash against Buffalo

The Boston Bruins just had their season come to an end Friday night. But it's already looking like they'll be without defenseman Charlie McAvoy when they start the 2026-27 campaign.

Boston was eliminated by Buffalo in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, losing 4-1 at TD Garden as the Sabres advanced with the Game 6 win.

Tempers flared late in the game, toward the end of what was a chippy series between the Bruins and Sabres.

Sabres forward Zach Benson was called for tripping on a play that some fans, and apparently McAvoy, viewed as a dangerous slew foot. Contact from the play sent McAvoy tumbling into the boards with just over a minute remaining in a three-goal game.

McAvoy immediately jumped back onto his feet and chased down Benson, hitting him with a two-handed slash.

The defenseman received a penalty for slashing, and was sent off the ice with a game misconduct penalty. But the discipline for McAvoy isn't likely to end there.

On Saturday, the NHL's Department of Player Safety posted on social media that McAvoy has been offered an in-person hearing for the play, with a date and time still to be determined.

That means McAvoy faces a suspension of at least six games.

McAvoy was asked on Sunday if he was surprised that he appears to be the only one facing potential discipline, while Benson likely will not.

"I guess really after it, I didn't give it too much thought at all to be honest. Just really more caught up in the end of the season and losing, so that's really where my focus was," McAvoy said. "Just in terms of everything related with that, just out of respect for the process I'm probably not going to comment anything on it until I can have a chance to speak with them."