Team USA is dealing with a slew of injuries before playing Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off final on Thursday at TD Garden in Boston.
The Americans lost to Sweden 2-1 on Monday and played with a depleted lineup as forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Auston Matthews sat out and forward Brady Tkachuk was injured in the first period, returned from the dressing room for one shift and didn’t return for the second period.
Team USA coach Mike Sullivan told reporters Tuesday he expects those three to be available for Thursday’s game.
Defenseman Charlie McAvoy is also on the shelf. The Boston Bruins on Tuesday announced that McAvoy was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital to undergo testing related to an ‘upper-body injury’ and will not play in the championship game on Thursday.
Charlie McAvoy injury
McAvoy, a 27-year-old defenseman, was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital on Monday night to undergo testing related to an upper-body injury sustained during the 4 Nations Face-Off and was being evaluated on Tuesday, the Bruins announced.
The team, which also announced that McAvoy will not play in Thursday’s championship game, said it will provide further updates on McAvoy’s condition and status as they become available.
Sullivan said Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes is coming to Boston ahead of the final.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told USA TODAY by email that Hughes can play ‘only in the event Team USA has an injury emergency prior to (the) game on Thursday that leaves them at below six healthy defensemen.’
Hughes, last year’s Norris Trophy winner, was named to the original team but was ruled out because of a pretournament injury. He has 59 points, matching the total of the USA’s top-scoring defenseman, Zach Werenski.
In 2022, McAvoy underwent a left shoulder arthroscopic stabilization procedure, which put him out for six months. He has also had numerous upper body injuries during his eight-year NHL career.
McAvoy is married to Sullivan’s daughter, Kiley, and the two welcomed a son last month. Sullivan is the Penguins head coach.
“We’re hopeful we’re going to get some of these guys back. I would anticipate we would. We’ll have to wait and see how things play out here over the next day or so,’ Sullivan said Monday night. ‘Obviously, there will be contingency planning in the event that we need people.’
McAvoy has seven goals and 16 assists this season for Boston.
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