Charlie McAvoy on Bruins’ success, his Super Bowl pick and USA hockey
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Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
Defenseman Charlie McAvoy is one of the foundational players for the Boston Bruins, who have shown how sturdy their foundation is this season. After setting regular-season records for wins and points in 2022-23, the Bruins have overcome some offseason adversity to challenge for the league lead in points again.
McAvoy joined ESPN’s “The Drop” podcast this week to talk about the Bruins, potentially playing for Team USA in the upcoming Four Nations tournament and chasing gold at the Olympics, his Super Bowl pick for this Sunday and his history with football as a die-hard New York Giants fan. Enjoy!
Note: The interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Q. The Bruins have been one of the best stories of the season so far: Pressing for the President’s Trophy again after losing some key players and suffering that devastating loss in the playoffs in the first round. Has this season been a surprise for you at all? Or were you confident that the Bruins still had this kind of season in them?
McAvoy: I was definitely surprised. I’ll say it. I won’t hide it. We lost a lot of guys. Maybe it was the outside noise, but I think I embraced an underdog role this year. I think our team did as well. As we started stringing together our identity and winning more and more hockey games, I was kind of like, how are we doing this? And then it sort of clicked. Like, okay, this isn’t luck. We’re a really good hockey team again.
Are we built like last year? No, not at all. We’re more of a “put it in deep” team now vs. line rush. We’re more of a “wear you out behind the net” than cycling, making skill plays high. We’re doing it a completely different way this year.
But the goalie stayed the same. The defense stayed the same. We’ve got new guys up front, but those two pillars were there. There was familiarity with our structure. So it worked out really well.
Q. You’re a USA hockey guy. Big international hockey news at the NHL All-Star Game. Let’s start with the Four Nations Face-Off next season, with the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland. What are your thoughts on that tournament?
McAvoy: I thought it was really cool. Just really excited at the prospect of playing hockey for Team USA again. Those have been some of the best memories I’ve had in hockey, and it’s always an honor. I’ve had the dream of being an Olympian since the first time I ever watched it. In 2010, when they almost won the gold medal, I remember sitting on the couch watching that with my family and how special that tournament was. You internalize that and you’re like, “That’s where I wanna be.”
We thought we had it last go around [at the Olympics in 2022]. That was equally as exciting and then kind of equally as disappointing when it got pulled. Hopefully there’s no unforeseen stuff that could throw a wrench in this. Hopefully as long as I do everything I can, I’ll be able to play on that team.
Q. People don’t understand how close it came with Beijing. You told me you had to submit your measurements for your Ralph Lauren opening ceremonies or closing ceremonies gear, right?
McAvoy: We had gone as far as having a long list [of players]. We got on a Zoom call with the coaching staff and the general manager. So you have all these guys that are in the player pool with the prospect of making the team. We gave home addresses so they can come and drug test you — and take your measurements for ceremonies.
We made it all the way into the season, into the winter time. We were getting kind of close to February, and then I think they called it when all those [COVID] outbreaks happened. It was just cool because you’re doing all these things, and you’re getting excited about it. But it’ll be equally as exciting this time around if we get to do it. I hope we can.
As far as the Four Nations, you have Boston and Montreal, two of the best cities in the league. If I get to play, that little bit of home ice for me would be awesome.
I know it’s only four teams. [David Pastrnak] was kind of upset because the Czechs have a great hockey country. But as I understood, it was sort of just what they put together in a short time. It’ll be a first step toward World Cup of Hockey again, where everybody will be able to play.
Q. All right, here’s your chance: Please tell myself and the rest of the Americans that we’re finally going to beat Canada and win gold in one of these tournaments.
McAvoy: I’m not gonna throw that on the bulletin board right now. [Laughs] But I’ve had these conversations recently with the player pool and with the talent that USA Hockey has. You look around and there’s stars all over the league that are American, at every single position. So I think that kind of changes now. I think instead of being like, “I wonder how far they could go,” it looks like, “Hey, you know, why not us, to go over there and make some real noise?”
Q. Charlie, you were our NFL playoff prognosticator on ESPN’s hockey podcast The Drop, going 7-5 this postseason.
McAvoy: Oh, we’re plus money. [Laughs] I love football. Football was always my favorite sport besides hockey. I played it for as long as I could. I love watching college football. I love that the NFL coincides with our season. I don’t think there’s any better time in the year than that. Late August, September when you’re getting ready for football, hockey season.
Q. When you say you played it, did you play in school growing up?
McAvoy: I played Pop Warner, and then I played up until seventh grade. So when I had to go out for the middle school team, that was kind of when it was just too much. We had games every weekend for hockey all through the fall. So you’re missing those games anyway and practice doesn’t coincide with it either. I played lacrosse the longest, honestly.
Q. Was there ever a point in the multiverse where you could have been [Giants tight end] Mark Bavaro? Like, you were always going to be better at hockey, right?
McAvoy: I would imagine I would have never been Mark Bavaro. [Laughs] I was big as a kid and played like a running back and linebacker. I actually went to a Giants game with my dad, and I bought him a Mark Bavaro jersey. But I wish I could have played longer because you never know. I gave up on it too early, but I don’t think that I would’ve … I don’t know if I had the intangibles to be a football player.
Q. Okay, don’t keep the people waiting, Charlie: What’s your Super Bowl 58 pick?
McAvoy: I don’t understand how you could go against [Patrick] Mahomes in this situation. I really don’t understand how they’re underdogs to be honest. He’s just been there too many times. The record is the record. I think I picked them to lose in the divisional round, and then I find out the guy is 7-0 in the divisional round, and you’re just like “he’s a shoo-in for the conference championship every single year.” So now I’m just gonna let the numbers work for me. I think it’s really hard to go against the Chiefs here, and their defense is probably the best they’ve had — even better than last year.
I looked at the Niners. They tried every way to lose their playoff games, and they somehow got through. That’s obviously a good test. Maybe now they flip the switch, and now they’re just gonna run Kansas City out. But I don’t know. You’re gonna have to show it to me. The Chiefs had to go the hard way. So they went into Baltimore, they went into Buffalo, and they won both those games. You’re gonna have to give me Mahomes on Super Bowl Sunday.
Q. Finally, what do you think about the whole Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce thing?
McAvoy: I think it’s pretty cool. We were joking about it the other day because my wife loves Taylor Swift, and I’m not ashamed to say that I listen to Taylor Swift, too. She’s an icon. But I was saying like, man, she couldn’t have dated a hockey player? [Laughs] Someone said the revenue she’s brought to the NFL is incredible, and she’s helped her own brand along the way. But I was like, man, we couldn’t have gotten, like Jack Hughes or somebody to slide into her DMs?
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Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
No, the Winnipeg Jets haven’t already won the Stanley Cup, although one can be excused for feeling that way.
The Jets started the season 12-1-0, becoming the sixth team in NHL history to win 12 of their first 13 games of a season. They’ve outscored everyone in front of the player whom many consider the best goaltender in the world in Connor Hellebuyck. Things are certainly trending in their direction.
Some early-season trends in the NHL stick. Others are a distant memory by the end of the season: Please recall the Edmonton Oilers‘ horrific first month that preceded a resurgent run to the final game of the season in the Stanley Cup Final.
Injuries and slumps happen. Fans get their hopes up, only to be let down.
Here are trends for all 32 teams from the 2024-25 season thus far that we’re testing with our patented (OK, patent-pending) “Trend-o-meter” to see how valid they are — from certain to stick (10) to probably just a blip (1).
Jump to a team:
ANA | BOS | BUF | CGY
CAR | CHI | COL | CBJ
DAL | DET | EDM | FLA
LA | MIN | MTL | NSH
NJ | NYI | NYR | OTT
PHI | PIT | SJ | SEA
STL | TB | TOR | UT
VAN | VGK | WSH | WPG
Atlantic Division
Jim Montgomery will keep his job (by any means necessary)
Despite preseason platitudes from his bosses, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery does not have a contract with Boston beyond this season. That led to some “hot seat” speculation when the Bruins stumbled out of the gate, although they were 6-6-1 by the end of October.
It’s a pressure-packed situation in Boston, as the optics have underscored. Bruins fans have seen Montgomery tear into captain Brad Marchand on the bench after a turnover and bench leading scorer David Pastrnak in the third period of a recent game. Boston players, including Marchand himself, treated the situations like nothing out of the ordinary. But it certainly feels as if Montgomery is desperately trying to get the attention of his team early.
And why not? He’s not the reason that Jeremy Swayman is playing as if he didn’t have a training camp or that management felt Joonas Korpisalo could replace Linus Ullmark. He’s the not the reason that a good complementary player like Elias Lindholm was imported to be a No. 1 center or that they didn’t sufficiently replace Jake DeBrusk‘s offense. It’s his job on the line, though. Do as you will, Monty.
Trend-o-meter rating: 10
In the new 12-team College Football Playoff format, there is an added emphasis on conference championships. The four highest-ranked conference champions receive a first-round bye and a fifth conference champion is guaranteed a spot in the field. Those champions will be determined by conference title games held Dec. 6-7.
But in a college football landscape that has mostly done away with divisions and with some conferences expanding to as many as 18 teams, it can be difficult to figure out who is in line to reach those conference title games.
We’re here to help out. Below are the list of tiebreakers for each league to help determine conference championship game participants.
Conference’s tiebreaker policy
Two-team tie:
1. Head-to-head
2. Win percentage against common opponents
3. Win percentage against common opponents from top-to-bottom of the conference standings (breaking ties among tied teams)
4. Combined win percentage of conference opponents
5. Higher ranking by the Team Rating Score metric (from SportSource Analytics)
6. Draw administered by the ACC commissioner
Three-plus team tie: In case of a tie for both conference championship spots, once the tiebreaker identifies one championship game representative, it will start over with the remaining tied teams.
1. Combined head-to-head win percentage among the tied teams (if all tied teams are common opponents)
2. If all tied teams are not common opponents, if any tied team defeated each of the other tied teams
2a. If all tied teams are not common opponents, and no tied team defeated each of the other tied teams, but a tied team lost to each of the other tied teams, that team is eliminated
3. Win percentage against common opponents
4. Win percentage against common opponents from top-to-bottom of the conference standings
5. Combined win percentage of conference opponents
6. Higher ranking by the Team Rating Score metric (from SportSource Analytics)
7. Draw administered by the ACC commissioner
Conference’s tiebreaker policy
Two-team tie:
1. Head-to-head
2. Win percentage against common conference opponents
3. Win percentage against the next-highest common opponent in the conference standings; in case of tied teams in standings, use each team’s win percentage against all of those teams
4. Combined win percentage in conference games of conference opponents (strength of conference schedule)
5. Total wins over the 12-game season (only one win against teams from FCS or lower division will be counted)
6. Higher ranking by the Team Rating Score metric (from SportSource Analytics)
7. Coin toss
Three-plus team tie: In case of a tie for both conference championship spots, once the tiebreaker identifies one championship game representative, it will start over with the remaining tied teams. When reduced to two tied teams, the two-team tiebreakers will be used.
1. Combined head-to-head among tied teams (if all tied teams are common opponents)
1a. If all tied teams are not common opponents, if any tied team defeated each of the other tied teams
1b. If all tied teams are not common opponents, and no tied team defeated each of the other tied teams, but a tied team lost to each of the other tied teams, that team is eliminated
2. Win percentage against all common opponents
3. Record against next-highest common opponent in conference standings; in case of tied teams in standings, use each team’s win percentage against all of those teams
4. Combined win percentage in conference games of conference opponents (strength of conference schedule)
5. Total wins over the 12-game season (only one win against teams from FCS or lower division will be counted)
6. Higher ranking by the Team Rating Score metric (from SportSource Analytics)
7. Coin toss
Conference’s tiebreaker policy
Two-team tie:
1. Head-to-head
2. Win percentage against common conference opponents
3. Win percentage against common opponents from top-to-bottom of the conference standings (breaking ties among tied teams)
4. Combined conference win percentage of conference opponents
5. Higher ranking by the Team Rating Score metric (from SportSource Analytics)
6. Draw administered by the Big Ten commissioner
Three-plus team tie: In case of a tie for both conference championship spots, once the tiebreaker identifies one championship game representative, it will start over with the remaining tied teams. When reduced to two tied teams, the two-team tiebreakers will be used.
1. Combined head-to-head among tied teams
1a. If all tied teams are not common opponents, if any tied team defeated each of the other tied teams
2. Win percentage against all common conference opponents
3. Win percentage against common opponents from top-to-bottom of the conference standings (breaking ties among tied teams)
4. Combined conference win percentage of conference opponents
5. Higher ranking by the Team Rating Score metric (from SportSource Analytics)
6. Draw administered by the Big Ten commissioner
Conference’s tiebreaker policy
Two-team tie:
1. Head-to-head
2. Win percentage against common conference opponents
3. Win percentage against common opponents from top-to-bottom of the conference standings (breaking ties among tied teams: if a two-team tiebreaker will not break a tie, combined records against tied common opponents will be used)
4. Combined conference win percentage of conference opponents
5. Higher relative total scoring margin against all conference opponents (from SportSource Analytics)
6. Random draw
Three-plus team tie: In case of a tie for both conference championship spots, once the tiebreaker identifies one championship game representative, it will start over with the remaining tied teams.
1. Combined head-to-head among tied teams (if all tied teams are common opponents)
1a. If all tied teams are not common opponents, if any tied team defeated each of the other tied teams
1b. If all tied teams are not common opponents, and no tied team defeated each of the other tied teams, but a tied team lost to each of the other tied teams, that team is eliminated
2. Record against all common conference opponents
3. Win percentage against common opponents from top-to-bottom of the conference standings (breaking ties among tied teams; if a two-team tiebreaker will not break a tie, combined records against tied common opponents will be used)
4. Combined conference win percentage of conference opponents
5. Higher relative total scoring margin against all conference opponents (from SportSource Analytics)
6. Random draw
Conference’s tiebreaker policy
Two-team tie:
1. Head-to-head
2. If one team is ranked in the latest CFP rankings (and didn’t lose in the final weekend of the regular season)
2a. If one team is ranked in the latest CFP rankings and lost in the final weekend of the regular season, a composite average of selected metrics will be used
2b. If both teams are ranked, the higher-ranked team that didn’t lose in the final weekend of the regular season (if both lose, a composite average of metrics)
2c. If neither team is ranked in the latest CFP rankings, a composite average of selected metrics will be used
3. Win percentage against common conference opponents
4. Overall win percentage (conference and nonconference) excluding exempt games
5. Coin toss
Three-plus team tie: In case of a tie for both conference championship spots, once the tiebreaker identifies one championship game representative, it will start over with the remaining tied teams.
1. Combined head-to-head (if all teams played each other)
1a. If one tied team defeated all other tied teams
2. If the highest-ranked team in the latest CFP rankings that didn’t lose in the final weekend of the regular season
2a. If the highest-ranked team loses in final weekend of regular season, a composite average of selected metrics will be used
2b. If multiple ranked teams in the CFP rankings, the highest ranked team(s) that wins in the final weekend of the regular season
2c. If all ranked teams lose on the final weekend, a composite average of selected metrics will be used
2d. If no teams are ranked in the final CFP rankings, a composite average of selected metrics will be used
3. Win percentage against common conference opponents
4. Overall win percentage (conference and nonconference) excluding exempt games
5. Coin toss
Conference’s tiebreaker policy
Two-team tie and three-team tie:
1. Head-to-head
2. Highest CFP rankings going into the final weekend (if team wins in the final weekend)
3. Highest average ranking of four computer rankings (Connelly SP+, SportSource, ESPN SOR, KPI Rankings)
4. Highest average ranking of two computer rankings (SportSource, KPI Rankings)
5. Highest most recently published multiyear football Academic Progress Rate (if same, most recent year)
6. Draw administered by commissioner’s designee
Conference’s tiebreaker policy
Two-team tie:
1. Head-to-head
2. Win percentage against common opponents
3. Win percentage against common opponents based on MAC finish (breaking ties) from top-to-bottom of conference
4. Combined conference win percentage of conference opponents
5. Higher ranking by Team Rating Score metric (SportSource Analytics)
6. Draw administered by MAC commissioner
Three-team tie:
1. Combined head-to-head (if all teams played each other)
2. If one tied team defeated all other tied teams
3. Win percentage against all common opponents
4. Win percentage against all common opponents based on finish (with ties broken)
5. Combined conference win percentage of conference opponents
6. Higher ranking by Team Rating Score metric (SportSource Analytics)
7. Draw administered by MAC commissioner
Conference’s tiebreaker policy
Two-team tie:
1. Head-to-head
2. Highest CFP ranking (if team wins in the final weekend)
2a. If only or both CFP ranked teams loses in the final weekend (or if there is no ranked teams), an average of metrics will be used
3. Overall win percentage (conference and nonconference)
4. Record against the next-highest team in the conference standings (tied teams will be lumped together if tied teams played all those teams)
5. Win percentage against common conference opponents
6. Coin toss conducted virtually by the commissioner
Three-plus team tie:
1. Combined head-to-head (if all teams played each other)
2. If one tied team defeated all other tied teams
3. Highest CFP ranking among teams to win in the final weekend
4. Average of selected metrics (if ranked team loses or if no teams ranked)
5. Overall win percentage against all opponents (conference and nonconference); maximum one win against FCS or lower-division team
6. Record against the next-highest team in the conference standings (tied teams will be lumped together if tied teams played all those teams)
7. Win percentage against common conference opponents
8. Drawing conducted virtually by the commissioner
Conference’s tiebreaker policy
Two-team tie
1. Head-to-head
2. Overall win percentage
3. Win percentage against the next-highest team in the division standings (lumping together tied teams)
4. Win percentage against all common nondivisional conference opponents
5. Higher-ranked teams in the CFP rankings (if it wins in the final regular season week); if the highest-ranked team loses, an average of selected computer rankings (Anderson & Hester, Massey, Colley and Wolfe)
6. If no team is ranked in the CFP rankings, an average of selected computer rankings (Anderson & Hester, Massey, Colley and Wolfe)
7. Overall win percentage (conference and nonconference) against FBS teams
8. Coin toss
Three-plus team tie: (Teams will not revert to two-team tiebreaker once three-plus team tiebreaker is trimmed to two.)
1. Combined head-to-head
2. Divisional win percentage
3. Win percentage against the next-highest team in the division standings (lumping together tied teams)
4. Highest-ranked team in the CFP rankings (if they win in the final weekend of regular season); if that team loses, an average of selected computer rankings
5. If no team is ranked in the CFP rankings, an average of selected computer rankings (Anderson & Hester, Massey, Colley and Wolfe)
6. Overall win percentage (conference and nonconference) against FBS teams
7. Draw lots (conducted by commissioner)
Check out the ESPN college football hub page for the latest news, analysis, schedules, rankings and more.
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Jesse Rogers, ESPN Staff Writer
SAN ANTONIO — Juan Soto will take his time surveying the free agent market before signing with a team, according to his agent Scott Boras.
Speaking at the general manager’s meetings Wednesday, Boras indicated that Soto desires a “thorough” vetting before making a decision.
“Due to the volume of interest and Juan’s desire to hear [from teams], I can’t put a timeframe on it, but it’s going to be a very thorough process for him,” Boras said. “He wants to meet people personally. He wants to talk with them. He wants to hear from them.”
That includes ownership, even for the New York Yankees, for whom he played in 2024 and hit 41 home runs with a league-leading 128 runs scored. Soto helped New York to a World Series appearance, but that doesn’t necessarily give the Yankees a leg up on the competition to sign him.
“He wants ownership that’s going to support that they are going win annually,” Boras said. “Owners want to meet with Juan and sit down and talk with him about what they’re going to provide for their franchise short term and long term.”
Soto’s overall deal is likely to be at least the second largest in MLB history behind Shohei Ohtani‘s 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Boras refused to compare the two players, but stressed Soto’s age (26) as a distinctive factor in teams’ pursuit of his client. Ohtani was 29 when he hit free agency.
“I don’t think Ohtani has much to do with Juan Soto at all,” Boras said. “It’s not something we discuss or consider. … He’s in an age category that separates him.”
Both New York teams have spoken to Boras already, though there are a handful of other big-market franchises that could be in play for his services, including the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays.
Boras was asked how the competitive balance tax on payrolls could impact Soto’s free agency.
“I don’t think tax considerations are the focal point when you’re talking about a business opportunity where you can make literally billions of dollars by acquiring somebody like this,” Boras said.
Boras and Soto are only at the beginning stages of what could be a drawn-out process. One thing going for the player, in Boras’ estimation, is that Soto is “pretty well known” considering he has already been on three teams and played in 43 playoff games, including twice in the World Series.
In his agent’s eyes, every winning team should be interested.
“They’re [team executives] called upon to be championship magicians,” Boras said. “Behind every great magician is the magic Juan.”
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