McAvoy Returns to Practice, Mrazek Out for Red Wings

BOSTON, March 26, 2025 — Charlie McAvoy returned to practice with the Boston Bruins on Tuesday following a shoulder injury and infection, while Peter Mrazek was sidelined for the Detroit Red Wings due to an undisclosed injury.

McAvoy, who has missed considerable time since sustaining an injury during the 4 Nations Face-Off on February 12, practiced in a non-contact jersey for the first time. Bruins coach Joe Sacco remarked, “It’s good for the morale of the team to have him around. He’s progressing the way he should be right now.”

The Bruins defenseman leads the team in average time on ice at 23:40 per game, and has collected 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 50 games this season. “When he’s available, he’ll be in the lineup. When he’s ready,” Sacco added.

Boston is struggling, having lost six consecutive games, including a 7-2 defeat against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday. They are currently six points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card position in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

In Detroit, Mrazek did not play against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday after leaving the Red Wings’ 5-1 win against the Utah Hockey Club early on Monday with an injury after making just one save. Red Wings coach Todd McLellan stated, “He won’t be available for us the rest of this trip, obviously.”

Mrazek was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks earlier this month and has posted a 2-2-0 record with a 2.49 goals-against average and .902 save percentage in five appearances for Detroit. With Mrazek out, the Red Wings will likely rely on backup goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, who has a 3.02 GAA and .899 save percentage this season.

Detroit currently sits at 33-31-6 and is three points behind Montreal for the playoff spot. They will host the Ottawa Senators on Thursday as they aim to solidify their postseason chances.

Meanwhile, Tomas Hertl of the Golden Knights also missed a road trip due to an upper-body injury. While the team leads the Pacific Division with a record of 42-20-8, they face challenges with injuries affecting key players.

In a busy NHL landscape, the playoff race continues to tighten as teams, including the Bruins and Red Wings, push for postseason positions in the final days of the regular season.