Charlie McAvoy remains hospitalized as Bruins provide injury update after 4 Nations scare

Charlie McAvoy, who will be out for Team USA’s 4 Nations Face-Off final vs. Canada on Thursday due to an infection and shoulder injury, remains in the hospital after undergoing a procedure on his shoulder Tuesday.

The Boston Bruins provided an update Wednesday morning on the star defenseman, whose infection stemmed from the injury he suffered during the Americans’ opening game against Finland last Thursday.

The Bruins said the injury was to McAvoy’s acromioclavicular joint in his right shoulder, and the Long Island native received treatment from the Team USA staff in Montreal.

“Upon returning to Boston, he developed increasing pain, for which he was evaluated by the Boston Bruins’ medical staff. After undergoing x-rays, MRIs, and bloodwork, he was diagnosed as having an infection in his right shoulder, as well as a significant injury to his AC joint,” the Bruins’ head team physician, Dr. Peter Asnis, said in a statement. “He underwent an irrigation and debridement procedure at Massachusetts General Hospital on February 18. He remains in the hospital, where he is being treated with IV antibiotics, and his condition is improving.”

While missing McAvoy for the championship game is a blow to the U.S., they have a tantalizing potential fallback plan in Quinn Hughes, the Canucks defenseman who was originally going to be on the team but was dealing with an injury in the leadup to the tournament.

USA coach Mike Sullivan initially said Tuesday that Hughes was “coming,” indicating the defenseman was en route to Boston.