The Boston Bruins will officially be without Charlie McAvoy for the first six games of the 2026-27 season.
The NHL previously suspended McAvoy last Monday due to his overhead slash on Zach Benson just over 90 seconds before the Bruins' season came to an end in Game 6.
McAvoy will miss 7% of next season as a result, with the expansion to 84 games.
McAvoy did not file for an appeal within the allowed window, per Elliotte Friedman's 32 Thoughts: The Podcast.
It's moderately surprising, as McAvoy likely could've bargained for his suspension to be lowered through an appeal.
McAvoy's slash came as a direct response to pretty vicious slew foot from Benson on an icing that went completely unpunished, except for the two-minute minor called on the ice.
It's not McAvoy's first run-in with the Department of Player Safety this year, either.
In Boston's final game before the Olympic Break, Florida Panthers forward Sandis Vilmanis inexplicably got away with a blatantly dirty headshot.
McAvoy responded on social media:
Vilmanis and the Panthers didn't make any national waves the rest of the season, playing out the string as a non-playoff team.
Benson and his Buffalo Sabres went on to lose three home games against the Montreal Canadiens, losing their series in 7 games.