Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy received a six-game suspension from the NHL Department of Player Safety for slashing Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Game 6 of their first-round playoff series on May 1. The league announced the punishment Tuesday, one day after McAvoy attended an in-person hearing at NHL headquarters in New York City. He will serve the ban at the start of the 2026-27 season, and both McAvoy and the NHLPA can appeal to commissioner Gary Bettman and potentially a neutral arbitrator.

The incident occurred with 1:31 remaining in a 4-1 game, with Buffalo holding a 3-2 series lead. As McAvoy skated back for an icing call, Benson tripped him with his left leg, sending the defenseman crashing into the end boards. McAvoy got up, skated through his teammates and delivered a two-handed slash across Benson’s torso. He received a five-minute major for slashing and an automatic game misconduct.

The NHL stated all parties agreed the slash was "intentional and forceful" and delivered "for the purpose of retribution and message sending" outside actual gameplay with the outcome decided. McAvoy’s attorneys argued Benson slew-footed him first, but the league ruled players are not excused from illegal acts due to a prior foul. This is McAvoy’s third career suspension—previously receiving one game in 2019 and four games in 2023, both for illegal checks to the head.