McAvoy appeared on ESPN’s “The Drop” podcast this week to discuss the Bruins, maybe playing for Team USA in the next Four Nations tournament and pursuing gold at the Olympics, his Super Bowl choice for this Sunday, and his background with football as a die-hard New York Giants fan. Enjoy!
Note that the interview has been gently edited for clarity.
Q. The Bruins have been one of the season’s best storylines, battling for the President’s Trophy despite losing key players and suffering a terrible first-round playoff loss. Has this season surprised you at all? Or were you confident that the Bruins could have another season like this?
McAvoy: I was very astonished. I will say it. I’m not going to hide it. We lost a lot of men. Maybe it was the outside noise, but I believe I relished the underdog status this season. I believe our squad performed as well. As we began to solidify our identity and win more hockey games, I wondered how we were accomplishing it. And suddenly it clicked. Okay, this is not luck. We’re a really excellent hockey team again.
Are we built like last year? Not at all. We’re more of a “put it in deep” squad now, rather than a line rush. We’re more of a “wear you out behind the net” team than cycling, so skill is essential. This year, we are doing things completely differently.
But the goalie remained the same. The defense remained the same. We had new people up front, but those two pillars were still there. Our structure was well-known. So that turned out extremely well.
Q. You represent the United States of America in hockey. Big international hockey news from the NHL All-Star Game. Let’s start with the Four Nations Face-Off next season, featuring the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Finland. What are your opinions about that tournament?
McAvoy: I thought it was quite cool. I’m just incredibly enthusiastic about the thought of playing hockey for Team USA again. Those are some of the nicest memories I’ve made in hockey, and it’s always an honor. I’ve wanted to be an Olympian since I first watched it. I remember sitting on the couch with my family in 2010, watching them almost win the gold medal, and thinking how great the tournament was. You internalize that and say, “That’s where I wanna be.”
We believed we had it last time [at the Olympics in 2022]. That was equally exhilarating, but also somewhat upsetting, when it was pulled. Hopefully, there won’t be any unexpected complications. Hopefully, as long as I try my best, I’ll be able to play for that squad.
Q. People don’t realize how close it was with Beijing. You said you had to submit your dimensions for your Ralph Lauren opening or closing ceremonies attire, correct?
McAvoy: We had compiled a long list of players. We joined a Zoom call with the coaching staff and the general manager. So you have all these guys in the player pool with a chance of making the team. We provided home locations so that they could drug test you and collect your measurements for ceremonies.
We made it all the way through the season, into winter. We were getting near to February, and I believe they called it when all those [COVID] infections occurred. It was just nice that you were doing all of these things and being enthused about them. However, if we are able to accomplish it again, it will be equally exciting. I hope we can.
The Four Nations include Boston and Montreal, two of the league’s best cities. If I get to play, I’d love to have some home ice.
I know there are just four teams. [David Pastrnak] was disappointed because the Czechs have a fantastic hockey country. However, as far as I could tell, that was simply what they could come up with in a short period of time. It will be the first step toward resuming the World Cup of Hockey, in which everyone will be able to participate.
Q. Okay, here’s your chance: Please tell me and the rest of the Americans that we’re finally going to beat Canada and win gold in one of these tournaments.
McAvoy: I won’t post that on the bulletin board right now. [Laughs] But I’ve lately had similar conversations with the player pool and the quality that USA Hockey possesses. Look throughout the league, and there are American stars at every position. So I think that is changing today. Instead of thinking, “I wonder how far they could go,” it appears to be, “Hey, you know, why not us, to go over there and make some real noise?”
Q. Charlie, you were our NFL playoff picker on ESPN’s hockey podcast The Drop, going 7-5 this season.
McAvoy: Oh, we have money. [Laughs] I enjoy football. Aside from hockey, football has always been my favorite sport. I played for as long as I could. I enjoy watching college football. I enjoy how the NFL overlaps with our season. I do not think there is a greater time of year than that. Late August/September, when you’re getting ready for football and hockey season.
Q. Did you play it at school when you were younger?
McAvoy: I played Pop Warner till seventh grade. So when I had to try out for the middle school team, it was a little overwhelming. We played hockey games every weekend during the fall. So you’re missing those games anyhow, and practice doesn’t overlap with them either. To be honest, I’ve been playing lacrosse the longest.
Q. Was there ever a point in the multiverse where you could have been Mark Bavaro, the Giants’ tight end? So, you were always going to be better at hockey, right?
McAvoy: I doubt I would have been Mark Bavaro. [Laughs] I was a large kid who played running back and linebacker. I actually went to a Giants game with my father and purchased him a Mark Bavaro jersey. But I wish I could have played for longer, since you never know. I gave up on it too soon, but I don’t believe I would have… I’m not sure if I had the intangibles to be a football player.
Q: Okay, Charlie, don’t keep the people waiting. What are your Super Bowl 58 picks?
McAvoy: I’m not sure how you could go against [Patrick] Mahomes in this position. To be honest, I don’t understand how they can be considered underdogs. He’s simply been there too many times. The record remains the record. I thought I chose them to lose in the divisional round, and then I find out the guy is 7-0 in the divisional round, and you’re like, “He’s a shoo-in for the conference championship every single year.” So now I’ll just let the numbers do the work for me. I believe it will be extremely difficult to beat the Chiefs here, and their defense is likely to be the strongest they have had in years, if not better than last year.
I glanced at the 49ers. They attempted everything to lose their playoff games, yet they still made it through. That’s clearly a good exam. Maybe they’ll just flip the switch and run Kansas City out. But I do not know. You’ll have to show it to me. The Chiefs had to take the hard route. So they went to Baltimore and Buffalo, and they won both games. You’ll have to give me Mahomes on Super Bowl Sunday.
Q. Finally, what are your thoughts on the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce situation?
McAvoy: I think it’s really nice. We were laughing about it the other day because my wife adores Taylor Swift, and I am not afraid to admit that I also listen to her music. She is an icon. But I was like, man, she couldn’t have dated a hockey guy. [Laughs] Someone stated that the income she has brought to the NFL is astounding, and she has also benefited her own brand along the road. But I was like, man, couldn’t we have gotten Jack Hughes or someone to get into her DMs?
