By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy and Team USA got their chance to take home a gold medal against Team Canada in the final game of the 2026 Winter Olympics. 2010 wouldn’t repeat for Team USA thanks to Jack Hughes.
Hughes scored the golden goal to help Team USA defeat Team Canada 2-1 in overtime. Team USA waited 16 years to get revenge on Team Canada for Sidney Crosby’s golden goal at the 2010 Winter Olympics, and the victory was on the exact day the 1980 team completed its miracle against the Soviet Union.
The gold medal game meant a lot for McAvoy, who had dreamed of playing against Canada in a pivotal game. It also allowed McAvoy to do something that he couldn’t do one year ago.
Last year in February, McAvoy got hurt during the 4 Nations Face-Off, which caused him to not only miss Team USA’s championship game against Team Canada, but also the remainder of the Bruins’ season. McAvoy was emotional in Team USA’s locker room before the championship game and expressed how much he wanted to play before reading the team’s starting lineup.
After reading Team USA’s starting lineup, McAvoy was greeted with a hug and support from Brady Tkachuk. Seeing Tkachuk acknowledge McAvoy in the locker room showed what he meant to Team USA during the tournament.
One year after not playing in the championship game, McAvoy got a chance to redeem himself in the Olympics. McAvoy was solid throughout the Olympics defensively to help Team USA reach the gold medal game. During the gold medal game, McAvoy made a huge rescue to deny a goal to Team Canada. McAvoy’s stop helped keep Team USA in the game, which later resulted in an overtime win later on.
There are three more things to make McAvoy winning gold more special to him after last year. The first is that he got to win gold with Jeremy Swayman. While Swayman only played in one game during the Olympics, McAvoy winning gold with one of his Boston teammates adds a special touch.
The second is Mike Sullivan, who was Team USA’s head coach for the 2026 Winter Olympics. McAvoy is Sullivan’s son-in-law. Winning gold with your father-in-law will make a win like that sweet and personal.
The third and final one is Johnny Gaudreau. Before last season, Gaudreau passed away in a bicycle accident. Gaudreau’s death shook the hockey community emotionally. Last year at the 4 Nations Face-Off, Team USA kept a Gaudreau jersey in the locker room for his memory. While last year resulted in heartbreak, that wouldn’t be the case in 2026.
Having the first Olympics where National Hockey League Players can play in for the first time in 12 years, and Team USA winning it for Gaudreau adds an emotional touch to it. After the win, Team USA players held a Gaudreau jersey in his honor.
McAvoy, Team USA, and the rest of the country will be playing and singing Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” proudly. Now, NHL play returns. The Bruins’ first game back will be this Thursday night when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7 p.m. ET at TD Garden.
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