There was no easing 19-year-old Charlie McAvoy into the Boston Bruins' lineup.
Pressed into playoff duty after late-season injuries to defensemen Torey Krug and Brandon Carlo, McAvoy logged 24:11 of ice time in a Game 1 win over the Ottawa Senators, second only to Zdeno Chara (25:32) among all players.
The extra minutes came not only on the power play, but also in the absence of Colin Miller, who was forced to leave Game 1 with an injury of his own.
McAvoy certainly didn't seem to mind:
Big smile postgame for Charlie McAvoy. "I love playing hockey."
— Fluto Shinzawa (@GlobeFluto) April 13, 2017
The young blue-liner also clearly earned the trust of head coach Bruce Cassidy.
Cassidy on McAvoy: "He was terrific."
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 13, 2017
It's been a whirlwind few weeks for McAvoy, who wrapped up his time at Boston University, had a brief stint with the Bruins' AHL club, and was then signed to an entry-level deal and called up to the NHL.
Based on his debut, McAvoy - who was drafted 14th overall in 2016 - appears to be in the Bruins' lineup for good.
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