Where Bruins' Charlie McAvoy Ranks in NHL Network's Top 20 Defensemen

McAvoy is coming off his career-best season in 2025-26 with 61 points.

Mar 29, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) looks to pass as Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Miles Wood (11) trails the play during the second period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Earlier in the month, NHL Network announced its Top 20 Defensemen currently in the league and the list featured a Bruin. 

Boston’s Charlie McAvoy came in at No. 11. 

NHL Network's Top 20 Defensemen Right Now list has a total of:
• 21 total All-Star Game appearances
• 11 All-Rookie team honors
• Seven Norris Trophies
• Seven Olympic Gold Medals
• Four Calder Trophies
• Two Conn Smythe Trophies
• Six Stanley Cups

What do you think of… pic.twitter.com/lojAgF9y4V

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) August 10, 2026

McAvoy is entering his 10th season with the Bruins. During the team’s 2025-26 campaign, the Long Beach, N.Y., native skated in 69 regular-season games and tallied 11 goals and 50 assists for 61 points as well as a plus-13 rating.

Last season, McAvoy had a career-best in points and assists as well as had the second-best goals. 

In the Bruins’ Stanley Cup Playoff run this year, he recorded two assists for two points and a minus-6 rating in six games. 

Throughout his career with Boston, McAvoy has played in 573 regular season games and notched 71 goals and 290 assists for 361 points and a plus-157 rating. 

McAvoy was drafted by the Bruins in 2016 in the first round (No. 14 overall) and played his collegiate career at Boston University. 

As for the rest of the list, Colorado’s Cale Makar came in at No. 1, followed by Minnesota’s Quinn Hughes at No. 2, Columbus’ Zach Werenski at No. 3, Buffalo’s  Rasmus Dahlin at No. 4, Dallas’ Miro Heiskanen at No. 5, Montreal’s Lane Hutson at No. 6, New York Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer at No. 7, Ottawa’s Jake Sanderson at No. 8, Detroit’s Moritz Seider at No. 9, and Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard at No. 10. 

Below McAvoy is Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin at No. 12, New York Rangers’ Adam Fox at No. 13, Minnesota’s Brock Faber at No. 14, Nashville’s Roman Josi at No. 15, Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey at No. 16, Anaheim’s Jackson LaCombe at No. 17, Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman at No. 18, Vegas’ Shea Theodore at No. 19, and Colorado’s Devon Toews capped off the list at No. 20.

McAvoy will look to improve off his career-best performance during the upcoming season, however will not be able to take the ice until the Bruins’ road game against the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 13. 

McAvoy was suspended for six regular-season games after his slash on Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson in Game 6 of the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 1. 

Boston begins its 2026-27 campaign at home against the New York Rangers on Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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