Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy could be facing a lengthy suspension to start the 2026-27 season after the NHL announced Saturday it has offered an in-person hearing with its Department of Player Safety to the 28-year-old.

The date of the hearing is still to be determined. Any discipline would be served next season due to Boston’s season being over.

McAvoy received a major penalty for slashing and a game misconduct in Boston’s 4-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference first-round. That setback on Friday eliminated the Bruins from the postseason.

The incident with 1:31 left in the third period occurred after Buffalo’s Zach Benson tripped McAvoy as the two chased after a loose puck. McAvoy got up and charged toward Benson and swung his stick like a baseball bat at Benson.

After the game, McAvoy wasn’t concerned about a possible suspension.

“I don’t play another game until September,” McAvoy said. “Can’t imagine it really matters much.”

If a suspension might be six games or longer, the NHL offers the player an in-person meeting. The player can decline the in-person methods and conduct it by phone. Suspension of five games or less are typically handled via phone.

McAvoy scored a career-high 61 points and had 11 goals in 69 games this season. He had two assists in the series against Buffalo.

Overall, McAvoy has 71 goals and 361 points in 573 games over nine seasons with the Bruins. He has six goals and 50 points in 97 career playoff games.

McAvoy was a member of Team USA as it won the gold medal at the Winter Olympics earlier this year. It was the USA’s first men’s Olympic gold since the historic performance at Lake Placid in 1980.

–Field Level Media

Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin didn’t travel with the team to Denver and will miss Sunday night’s playoff series opener against the Colorado Avalanche.

Forward Joel Eriksson Ek is listed as questionable to play in Game 1 of the Western Conference second-round series.

Brodin, 32, sustained a lower-body injury during Game 5 of Minnesota’s first-round series against the Dallas Stars. He was hurt while blocking a shot by Dallas’ Mikko Rantanen during the second period.

Brodin missed the clinching Game 6 victory on Thursday. He had one assist in the series.

In the regular season, Brodin had four goals and 18 points in 62 games.

Eriksson Ek was hurt in Game 6 when his right leg smacked into the wall. He didn’t practice on Saturday.

Minnesota coach John Hynes was debating what to do about Ek’s spot with his status unclear.

“I’m kind of going through that a little bit right now,” Hynes said. “So, now you kind of go down that decision-making process of what would we do if he’s not ready.”

Ek, 29, had three goals and five points in the Dallas series. In the regular season, he had 19 goals and 51 points in 70 games.

–Field Level Media

The celebration Thursday was a decade in the making for the Minnesota Wild, but now the road gets tougher. Minnesota eliminated the Dallas Stars in six games to advance for the first time since 2015, and the reward is taking on the Colorado Avalanche, the Presidents’ Trophy winners, in the second round.

Game 1 is Sunday night in Denver.

The series will mark the fourth time the organizations will clash in the postseason, and each time the lower seed has prevailed. The Wild won two Game 7s in Denver (2003, 2014) and Colorado beat Minnesota in six games in 2008. They split their four games during the regular season.

The Wild were bounced in the first round in their previous eight playoff appearances but got by Dallas in a matchup of two of the best teams in the NHL. They go against a fresh Avalanche team that completed a sweep of the first-round series with Los Angeles a week ago.

While Colorado rested, Minnesota earned some valuable experience.

“I think you learn so much throughout those other playoff series. Not that I’m old, but I feel like I was young during those and didn’t know what to expect or what the expectation was and stuff,” Wild forward Matt Boldy said. “I think it was just a group of guys that were ready to take that step.”

Minnesota has the talent to compete with the Avalanche, who finished the regular season with a franchise-record 121 points. The Wild, led by Kirill Kaprizov’s 89 points in the regular season (45 goals, 44 assists), have depth in their top lines and a superstar defenseman in Quinn Hughes.

Colorado is arguably the deepest team in the league when healthy. Nathan MacKinnon led the NHL in goals with 53 and was third in points (127), and Martin Necas recorded the first 100-point season of his career (38 goals, 62 assists).

The Avalanche’s projected third line could be a first line on other teams. Nazem Kadri, Gabriel Landeskog and Nicolas Roy were impactful in the sweep of the Kings and can jump up when coach Jared Bednar sees a need for more offense.

Landeskog tied with MacKinnon for the scoring lead against Los Angeles with four points (two goals, two assists) and Roy contributed two goals — including one in overtime in Game 2.

“(Roy and Kadri) find areas to get the puck to the net, which is great, and they read off each other really well,” defenseman Cale Makar said.

Both teams are dealing with injuries. Minnesota defenseman Jonas Brodin, who missed Game 6 against Dallas, did not travel to Denver and will miss Game 1. Center Joel Eriksson Ek is questionable for Sunday. Brodin blocked a shot in Game 5, and Eriksson Ek lost an edge and slammed hard into the side boards right-leg first in the third period of Game 6.

Colorado defenseman Josh Manson (upper body) went through a full practice on Saturday and is likely to play.

The biggest key is in net, and both goaltenders are playing well. Scott Wedgewood allowed just five goals in the first round against the Kings, and Wild rookie Jesper Wallstedt had a 2.05 goals-against average in the first round series.

–Field Level Media

With how even the teams are and how close their head-to-head showdown has been, it is appropriate the Tampa Bay Lightning will play host to the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday in a Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first-round Stanley Cup playoff series.

After both clubs finished the regular season with 106 points, the Lightning and Canadiens have both scored the same number of goals (14), both won twice in overtime and both won two of three road games in the first six instalments of the series.

“I’m 14 years in the league and I’ve been in a number of Game 7s. Some that I can be man enough today to say we weren’t as good as the other team and some we were as good as the other team,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “This one here … it’s so even, special teams, goaltending, everything. To win this, you’ve got to have a special game against the other team.”

The winner will face the Buffalo Sabres in the next round.

The teams face a challenging encore after a thrilling 1-0 Lightning victory in overtime of Game 6. Both goaltenders were sensational while the clubs traded scoring chances before Tampa’s Gage Goncalves scored his first career playoff overtime winner.

Now, a new chapter beckons. Not only does Tampa Bay have home-ice advantage, but also the upper-hand with its experience. Many core Lightning players have won multiple Stanley Cup titles, including the 2021 championship when the Lightning beat the Canadiens in the Final.

“This is what we all dream about,” Lightning forward Jake Guentzel said. “I’m fortunate to have played in a couple and there’s nothing better. Especially at home, it’s going to be an electric atmosphere. I can’t wait.”

The Canadiens, who went through a rebuild right after that run to the final, boast a more youthful lineup, and one that headed into the season knowing a brighter future for the franchise is still ahead.

However, after pushing the Eastern Conference first-round series to the distance, the attitude has become about making a mark now. All six games have been decided by one goal as the Canadiens have shown they are worthy opponents for the more-heralded Lightning.

“We’re not here for a ribbon. We want to move on,” coach Martin St. Louis said on Saturday before his team headed to Florida. “We worked to get to this spot. Playing Tampa in the first round, you know you’re gonna need everything and we’ve delivered that. It’s a good spot to be in. I think the guys have enjoyed the process and are hungry to keep moving forward.”

A major task for the Canadiens will be regrouping. Montreal was staring at a golden chance to advance but could not find the winning goal.

Even in overtime, the Canadiens failed to convert on a power play just before the winner. Turning the page, instead of spending time think of a missed opportunity, will be a big key.

“It’s hard to close out a series. I’ve never been in this position. A lot of guys haven’t been in this position,” said Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson. “It would have been cool to do it at home, but we have another chance to do it in Tampa.”

–Field Level Media