The NHL is back on Olympic ice, and the Boston Bruins are well represented as the men’s hockey tournament gets underway. Team USA, one of the top contenders for gold, boasts two key Bruins on its roster: defenseman Charlie McAvoy and goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Both made the early trip to join the Opening Ceremonies - and for McAvoy, it was a moment he won’t soon forget.
“It was incredible,” McAvoy said. “There was a lot of buildup, a lot of excitement.”
And you could hear the genuine awe in his words. Olympic ceremonies are the kind of experience that even seasoned pros don’t take for granted.
“That moment is just once in a lifetime when you come out there. I was pretty starstruck looking up and seeing all the lights and everything.
I will never forget that moment.”
McAvoy soaked in the atmosphere, but he didn’t just show up for the spectacle. He’s locked in on the mission ahead - helping the U.S. snap a decades-long gold medal drought. The Bruins’ top-pairing blueliner knows the challenge is steep, but he’s embracing the weight of history.
“It has been a long time since America has won a gold in the Olympics,” he said. “Just how special it would be to be part of the group that brings it back.”
Like so many American kids who grew up with hockey dreams, McAvoy was shaped by the legend of the 1980 Miracle on Ice. “You’re scoring the goal and pretending to be Mike Eruzione in the driveway,” he said - a nod to the lasting impact of that iconic moment.
While McAvoy is expected to be a major contributor on the blue line, Swayman’s role is a bit different - at least for now. He enters the tournament as the team’s third goaltender, but don’t mistake that for a passive role. Swayman’s coming off a strong showing at the World Championships, where he helped lead the U.S. to gold, and he’s carrying that same energy into the Olympic locker room.
“That win was a lot deeper than just a gold medal for me personally,” Swayman said, reflecting on last year’s triumph. “The adversity that I faced with this last year; it was a really big weight off my shoulders.”
For Swayman, this isn’t just about a medal - it’s about proving himself, again, on one of hockey’s biggest stages. “I am just so grateful that Team USA believed in me to put me a part of that team.”
And when his number’s called, he’ll be ready. “I’ve got a job to do, and that is to win games for Team USA,” he said.
“I know I am going to do it, and everyone in this room is going to do it. We’re really excited to get moving forward.”
Team USA opens group play against Latvia on Thursday at 3:10 p.m. ET, followed by matchups with Denmark on Saturday and Germany on Sunday - all at the same time slot. It’s a tight schedule, but the Americans are built to handle it, and with Bruins like McAvoy and Swayman in the mix, they’ve got a strong foundation on both ends of the ice.