McAvoy draws four-game suspension

Poitras earns roster spot with Bruins

Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy was suspended four games for what the NHL’s Department of Player Safety ruled “an illegal check to the head against Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson” Monday night.

McAvoy had a telephone hearing with the league on Tuesday afternoon.

The hit drew drew a five-minute major and a match penalty and came just minutes after McAvoy had tied the game at 2.

McAvoy will begin his suspension Thursday when the Bruins host the Maple Leafs at TD Garden. He will miss road games against the Red Wings on Saturday, at the Stars on Monday, Nov. 6, and at home vs. the Islanders on Thursday, Nov. 9, before he’s eligible to return for a road game against the Canadiens Saturday, Nov. 11.

Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement and, based on his average annual salary, McAvoy will forfeit $197,916.68, which will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

McAvoy has been one of the Bruins’ best players through eight games, with 2 goals and 8 points. He is also carrying a plus/minus of plus-6.

With Matt Grzelcyk (upper-body injury) and McAvoy out the Bruins could call up rookie Mason Lohrei, who had an impressive camp and has continued his strong play in Providence.

“He’s definitely one of the players being considered,” said coach Jim Montgomery.

Ian Mitchell and Jakub Zboril are other options .

. . .

Matt Poitras has looked comfortable since stepping on the ice in Boston over the summer.

Now, the Bruins rookie can get comfortable in some new digs.

The 19-year-old Poitras, who has been living in a local hotel, will be “sticking around,” for the foreseeable future, Montgomery confirmed Tues

day.

The club needed to make a decision on Poitras’s future after his de facto nine-game tryout expired after Monday’s overtime win over the Panthers: either send him back to his junior team in Guelph, Ontario, or keep him in Boston.

Once Poitras plays in his 10th game, which he is poised to do Thursday, the first year of his entry-level contract officially kicks in, meaning he’d be a year closer to his second NHL deal.

Poitras can still be sent back to juniors at any time, though once he plays in his 40th game, this season would count toward the seven needed to reach unrestricted free agent status.

Teenagers are not eligible to play in the AHL, so a season of seasoning in Providence was not an option.

“[With] his play, he’s earned it,” said Montgomery. “I think we’re comfortable with him. No guarantees here the rest of the year, but we feel the way he’s progressed that for the time being he’s going to be a Bruin and he’s helping us win hockey games. That’s the most important thing, right? He’s still 19, so we’re going to be cautious.”

While some teams have eased younger players into the lineup with scheduled games off, the Bruins have thrown Poitras right into the mix and he’s responded. Poitras, who has 3 goals and 5 points, has played with various linemates and in all situations.

“He’s continued to get better on both ends of the ice,” said Montgomery. “But what I think is appealing to us is every time you start to think, well this might be too much, whether it was the exhibition season, night games, he just always finds a way to be like . . . he belongs. He just belongs.”

Poitras’s offensive skills were known commodities coming into the summer. He collected 16 goals and 95 points last season at Guelph, so the Bruins knew they had a creative player. What they didn’t know was that the kid had plenty of sandpaper in his game, as well.

“That’s the No. 1 reason why he’s going to play a 10th game, because of that,” said Montgomery. “We see the hockey IQ, we see the skill, we see the vision. But if you don’t compete and you don’t have natural second and third effort, especially at a young age, it’s hard to stay in the league. And that’s been the best quality as to why we think he’s earned this.”

Poitras hasn’t only caught the eye of the coaching staff, he’s also impressed his teammates with the way he’s come in and earned his keep.

“He’s definitely made the best case possible for himself. He’s a heck of a player. He is going to have a very long career. He does all the right things on and off the ice to be a good pro and it’s very impressive to see at his age,” Brad Marchand said after Monday’s 3-2 overtime win over the Panthers. “And he’s a great kid. He’s a lot of fun to have around, always happy. I mean, how can he not be? Nineteen and in the NHL?”

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Dennis Bonvie, the Bruins director of pro scouting, has been named to the AHL’s Hall of Fame Class of 2024. Including the playoffs, Bonvie played in 969 AHL games with 93 goals, 302 points, and, most notably, 4,846 penalty minutes . . . A new book, “Gallinger: A life suspended,” is out and chronicles the life of Don Gallinger, who played 222 games for the Bruins between 1942-48 before being suspended in a gambling scandal. The book was written by his son, Don Gallinger Jr. The author will be near the Bobby Orr statue before Thursday’s game against the Maple Leafs, handing out thank you cards to fans.