Charlie McAvoy remains elite, but could he be moved?

It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. It is Charlie McAvoy day on the podcast and we are looking back at his season that was looking ahead the next year and even discussing one Boston writer suggesting trade. Let's get into it on today's episode of Lockdown Boston Bruins. Welcome to the Lockdown Boston Bruins Podcast. I'm your host Ian McLaren and this is a daily show where we discuss all things Spoked B. Thank you so much for making Lockdown Bruins part of your day every day free and available wherever you get podcasts including YouTube. We're part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Today's episode is brought to you by Bird Dogs. Go to birddogs.com slash Lockdown NHL and when you enter promo code Lockdown NHL they will throw in a free custom Bird Dogs Yeti style tumbler with every order. All right, like I mentioned, we are continuing our player year in review looking specifically today at Charlie McAvoy. A quick programming note Monday is a holiday so it likely won't record a podcast but we will continue our player reviews next season looking at guys that played on the third line. Also a reminder that you can find the podcast on Instagram, Twitter at locked NHL Bruins. You can find me, my dad jokes, hockey tweets at Ian C. McLaren. Bessie is peering over the computer at me right now. Bessie, it's a bit disconcerting. Anyways, let's start with what went well for Charlie McAvoy this season. First off, he had the highest points per game total of his career. He finished the season with 52 points, 67 games which equals 0.78 points per game. He also had the highest assists per game of his career at 0.67. He also had the most productive season of his career on the power play. Two points behind last season's total in 11 fewer games and that shows us that he's getting more and more comfortable as a power play quarterback. He also tied for a career high in blocks and scored one of the best goals of the season against the Sharks. If you remember, I think it was back in January, he went in like one on three against the Sharks, got through the defense and then put an absolute beauty move to get the goal which shows us kind of his goal scoring ability. We'll talk about that more coming up in the next segment. In the playoffs, he had five assists in seven playoff games, four of which came in games five and six. Unfortunately, he was held without a point in game seven against the Florida Panthers. Now altogether, Charlie McAvoy once again proved that he is one of the best defensemen in the NHL. I talked yesterday about how Hampus Lindholm really stepped up in McAvoy's absence early in the season. And when McAvoy came back, it just helped to solidify Boston's unbelievable season defensively as a team. They were the best team defensively and that is too largely to the fact that they had Lindholm and McAvoy in the lineup. Charlie McAvoy is one of the best defensemen when it comes to five on five play, suppressing the opposition, keeping them at bay, clearing things in front of the goal tenders. And he's a huge reason why the Bruins allowed only 2.12 goals per game this season, so much better than second place Carolina who is 2.56. He's not going to get any Norris love this season. He wasn't a finalist. You could argue that Lindholm was more deserving, but he's quite simply one of the best defensemen when it comes to five on five play. He's looking up his player card from the athletic and get a better sense of where he ranks in terms of NHL defensemen. But the reality is he's one of the best and the Bruins are fortunate to have him in the lineup and for years to come yet. Again, second highest points per game and quite simply one of the best at his position and he's still so young. Got a lot of hockey left in him and I believe he will continue to be one of the best defensemen in the NHL. Let's look at his player card here. Charlie McAvoy is market value according to the athletics player cards, 15 million. That's insane. He is a star player when it comes to average ice time, assists points in the 99th percentile rank and his defensive numbers just fantastic as well. So overall, all that to say, Charlie McAvoy is one of the best defensemen in the NHL and will remain so for quite some time. Now, let's talk about what didn't perhaps go great for him or some areas for growth. But first a quick word about today's sponsor, which is bird dogs. Now I got a couple pairs of bird dogs shorts in the mail last week and I just can't take them off. They are a perfect fit and their stretchy fabric makes my legs look great. They are comfier than any of my other shorts and pants. The liner inside is just a dream. They give me the freedom to wear anywhere on the golf course, a meeting, date night, hanging out with friends. Hockey fans say that the perfect shorts for dads that have a little extra gut, bird dog makes us look great and feel comfortable. Now you can go to birddogs.com right now slash locked on NHL and enter promo code locked on NHL. They will throw in a free custom bird dog yeti style tumbler with every order. I got one of those as well and it's the perfect patio yeti tumbler to take out, put some ice in there, throw any adult beverage, you are good to go. Again, that's birddogs.com slash locked on NHL, enter promo code locked on NHL and they will throw in that free custom bird dogs tumbler. You're not going to regret getting bird dogs on. They are really so comfortable and look really great as well. Thank you so much once again for making locked on Boston Bruins part of your day, every single day, every day is. Don't expect an episode on Monday since it's a holiday, but I'll be back on Tuesday to talk about Charlie Coiles season in review. Let's continue on with another Charlie. Charlie McAvoy, what didn't go well for him this season? Well, of course he was behind the eight ball a little bit because he was recovering from shoulder surgery to begin the season. No training camp didn't play until November 11th. So going to take you some time to ramp up and to get into game shape. One thing that I didn't love from McAvoy this season was his shots per game were way down. Only 1.57 shots per game this season compared to last season where he had 2.13. Didn't love that. And I would like to see him get the puck on net with a bit more regularity. And because his shots were down, his goals per game down as well. I mentioned he had the highest points per game average of a career, but that was boosted by his assists. He only had 7 goals in 67 games this season, which is 0.10 or 0.1 goals per game. Last season it was 0.13. The season before that it was 0.1 again. Earlier in his career it was up to 0.13. He's not a huge goal scorer. Love to see him shoot a bit more to get a bit more creative offensively. Like I said in that game against the Sharks, I really think he could push for 15 goals. And his lack of offense, he gets blown away offensively by guys like Kael Makar, Roman Yosi, Adam Fox, Eric Carlson. That's a bigger knock on his game. He is one of the best defenseman in the NHL without question, but his Norris candidacy will always be hindered by his lack of offense, but relative lack of offense to some of these defensive stars. And that's where we get into the discussion about Norris Trophy versus Bobby Ork Trophy for defensive defensive. It's an interesting discussion, but for another day. McAvoy will need to continue to grow as a leader on this team. I think he has captain potential. The next captain if Bergeron retires likely will be Brad Marshon, but McAvoy has been able to learn from Zenden Ochara, Patrice Bergeron, David Craychee, Marshon himself. He said there's a ton of people who he's learned from so much and quote, I think you just have to be yourself, be genuine. I try to do that. That's my style of leadership. It's something I'll keep getting better at. Next season he will be the second highest paid player on the Boston Bruins behind David Posternock. And again, whether or not Bergeron and Craychee are back, he is like a central part of the next core for the Boston Bruins. And he needs to continue to show that leadership ability, whether he's wearing a C or an A. I think he has future captain potential and needs to be more vocal on and off the ice. And I'd like to see him, yeah, continuing to be a leader and a driver offensively as well by getting some more shots on net. Now will he be on the team next season? It's very likely, but one Boston writer suggests perhaps floating him in a deal. And we're going to talk about that here coming up in segment number three. All right, Charlie McAvoy is entering the second year of his contract that carries a $9.5 million cap hit, seven years remaining on that deal. There's no trade protection on that contract until July 1, 2024. From that point until May 31, 2028, a full no move clause. From June 1, 2028 to May 31, 2029, there's a 10 team no trade list. So for the one year, he can submit a 10 team list of teams he'd want to be traded to. The next year, a 10 team no trade list. So that opens up 21 other teams that he could be traded to. Why do I mention this? Well, Kevin Paul DuPont of the Boston Globe recently floated the possibility of both teams. DuPont of the Boston Globe recently floated the possibility of Boston making a play for the number one overall pick. A lot of teams are feeling the salary cap pinch, given it will only rise by 1 million to 83.5. The Bruins are really squeezed by the cap after Don Sweeney was so aggressive in pushing for a cup. Craychee Berger on carrying $4.5 million in overages, meaning Boston's salary cap will be set at $79 million. DuPont wrote, of all the contracts Sweeney has written on the current roster, only David Posternock and Hampus Lindholm have no trade guarantees. Someone else's in play, including franchise backliner Charlie McVoy, and sure shot Vessna winner, Linus Olmark. If Sweeney cares or dares to make a legit bard bid, Connor Bardard of course being the number one pick this season. If he sweetened the pot with, say Jake Dubresque, then it's a package that has the potential to catch Davidson's ear. He continues, the Blackhawks who plummeted this season as part of a tank ploy to acquire Bard, immediately would be back in the West's wildcard mix. But Davidson could have a backline headline by a pair of right shot defencemen, Seth Jones and McVoy along with the presumptive Vessna winner and a speedy winger who just produced a career high 50 points. A year from now Davidson could entertain the idea of signing Austin Matthews. His deal expired in Toronto as the franchise's centre. Matthews would only be 26 on July 21, 2024, did over for McVoy. The Bruins would be left to move forward with Bardard who'd arrive as the most highly touted prospect since Joe Thornton, signed to a budget-friendly entry-level contract. Weenie would also have shoveled 18.5 million in Capdo out the door, maybe 30% of which would go to Jeremy Swamin as his new number one goaltender. Of the other 10-12 clubs, Squeeze-Tite for Financial Elbor Room, none could rival a McVoy Allmark Dubresque offer. That is from Kevin Paul DuPont of the Boston Globe. I said the other day there isn't any one player on the Bruins roster that I wouldn't entertain trading to Chicago for Bardard. The trick is whether or not Chicago would be willing to give him up and that's a huge if because Connor Bardard is a generational talent. I'm not adverse to trading Allmark as value likely will never be higher. That's a tough one for sure because he is one of the best defensemen in the NHL. Hemba's Lynn home is four or five years older. Can't rely on him to be a number one indefinitely. And then you have Carlo Grizzlyk. Who are you replacing McVoy with? He is a legit franchise defenseman. Do you trade a Vessna Trophy goaltender in a franchise defenseman? Plus Jake Dubresque has only one year left on his deal and is coming off a great season for a guy like Bardard and bank on players wanting to sign here to play with a generational talent like that. I mean it all comes down to Chicago being willing to trade that number one pick. I'd be reluctant to trade McVoy. I'd honestly be more open to trading postor knock than McVoy in that kind of deal. And does Chicago want to right hand shot defensemen who are making 9.5 million? Probably not. Well it's really quite moot because I don't think Chicago would want to make any kind of deal that way. But certainly a conversation starter and something that could be relevant seeing as though McVoy has no trade protection until July 1st of next year. Again that argument was also dependent on Chicago signing Austin Matthews which is no guarantee he's expressed that he wants to stay in Toronto. Anyways that's it for today's Charlie McVoy year in review again. A fantastic season for him. I'd like to see him shoot a bit more. Get that goal total up. Push for maybe at least 10 to 12 goals once again next season. And again it's just a treat to have Charlie McVoy on the team and he should be captain of this team one day in my opinion. Shout out to everybody who stayed up last night for the four over times in the Florida Carolina series. I picked Florida to win that series for lockdown and looking good at the moment. And we'll see how that goes. Western Conference Finals begins tonight. I'm on the Dallas Stars bandwagon for anybody who cares. Alright that's it friends. Again I will not be likely recording on Monday but back on Tuesday for a brand new episode of lockdown Boston Bruins looking at Charlie Coyle. Have a great weekend. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. And thanks for joining me here on the lockdown podcast network, your favorite team, every single day. Hey Celtics fans I'm John Corral, host of the lockdown Celtics podcast, part of the lockdown podcast network, your team, every day and I'm bringing you everything you need to know about the Celtics, no hype, no hot takes, just hoops from a former professional basketball player that covers the team every single day. 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