The Department of Player Safety is likely reviewing Charlie McAvoy after a controversial sequence. Head coach Jim Montgomery watched his top defenseman take a minor penalty that looked much worse on replay.
The hit happened fast. McAvoy caught his opponent with a high elbow that immediately drew the ire of the opposing bench.
It was a dangerous play in a tight game. The officials on the ice only saw enough for a two-minute minor, but the league usually takes a harder look at head contact.
McAvoy is the engine of the Bruins' blue line. Losing him for any stretch of time would be a massive blow to Montgomery's defensive rotations.
The Bruins are already grinding through a tough schedule. They can't afford to have their best all-around defender sitting in the press box because of a lapse in judgment.
Player safety has been inconsistent this season. However, elbowing calls involving direct head contact are high on their priority list for supplemental discipline.
The replay shows McAvoy's arm extending upward. It wasn't a tuck-and-shoulder hit. It was a clear extension that made primary contact with the chin.
Bruins defensive depth will be tested
If a suspension comes down, the Bruins will have to lean heavily on their bottom-four pairings. That is a recipe for disaster against elite offensive teams.
McAvoy plays over 23 minutes a night. You don't just replace that kind of ice time with a minor-league call-up or a depth veteran.
The physical nature of his game is what makes him elite. But there is a fine line between being a "hard-to-play-against" defenseman and being a liability to the officiating crew.
The league office usually announces hearings by midday. Montgomery will likely have to prepare a lineup for the next game without his cornerstone player.
Discipline is about sending a message. Given the current emphasis on removing head hits from the game, McAvoy might be looking at a multi-game seat.
The locker room knows how much he means to the group. If he's gone, the leadership core has to step up and fill a massive void on the power play and penalty kill.
