Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy out at least four weeks with MCL sprain

Charlie McAvoy. (Michael Dwyer, File/AP)

The Boston Bruins will be without defenceman Charlie McAvoy for at least one month due to a sprained left MCL, the team announced Tuesday.

Per general manager Don Sweeney, McAvoy will be re-evaluated in four weeks. The rookie defenceman was injured in his first shift of Saturday’s game versus the Montreal Canadiens.

McAvoy, 20, has factored strongly onto Boston’s blue line all season, playing on the top-pairing alongside Zdeno Chara. Through 59 games this season, he has registered seven goals and 25 assists with a plus-26 rating.

The Bruins currently sit second in the Atlantic Division (88 points) and have been considered a strong Stanley Cup contender, though injuries could threaten that status. The club is also without leading scorer Patrice Bergeron, who has missed a week with a fractured foot and is due to be re-evaluated next week.

Starting goaltender Tuukka Rask is also currently sidelined with what has been called a “very minor” lower-body injury. He missed Saturday’s matchup and won’t start Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings, either.

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