Boston University Professional Athletes

Charlie McAvoy isn't losing sleep over the Bruins captaincy conversation — and he wants everyone to know it.

As Boston heads into the 2026-27 NHL season, the question of who wears the 'C' has hovered over Bruins camp, with McAvoy and star winger David Pastrnak both viewed as legitimate candidates. The BU product addressed the speculation head-on, offering a message that was equal parts diplomatic and genuine.

"Whatever happens, it's out of my hands, but I don't think there would be any friction," McAvoy said. "We lean on everybody."

It's the kind of locker-room composure that has defined McAvoy's tenure in Boston — steady, team-first, and unbothered by the noise. Whether or not he ends up with the letter on his jersey, his standing as one of the Bruins' foundational pieces isn't in question. The fact that two players of his and Pastrnak's caliber are in the conversation at the same time is, by any measure, a good problem for Boston to have.

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Eichel Hungry for More in Vegas

Across the league, fellow BU alumnus Jack Eichel made his own statement as the Golden Knights opened training camp this week. Vegas, coming off a surprising Stanley Cup Final run that ended two wins short of a championship, arrived to camp with a chip on their shoulder — and Eichel set the tone.

"You don't forget coming two games short of winning the Stanley Cup," the Golden Knights center said on the first day of camp.

Eichel has been one of the NHL's most dynamic centers since his trade to Vegas, and with another deep run fresh in memory, the Golden Knights enter the season with unfinished business as their north star. For a BU product who has had to fight through injury and franchise upheaval to reach this stage, the urgency is personal.

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Tkachuk on the Move

Brady Tkachuk is among the most notable roster shakeups of the NHL offseason, landing with the Florida Panthers in a new chapter for the physical winger out of BU. Tkachuk was flagged by Yahoo Sports as one of the "familiar faces in new places" around the league this season — a significant storyline heading into the year for a player who built his identity with the Ottawa Senators franchise.

Whether Tkachuk can translate his north-end tenacity into a winning environment with a Panthers team built for contention will be one of the more compelling subplots to track from the BU alumni ledger this year.

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BU's NHL footprint remains as wide as any program in the country — with McAvoy anchoring a Bruins blue line, Eichel chasing a ring in Vegas, and Tkachuk starting fresh in South Florida. The next six months will tell a lot about where each of their careers goes from here.

Two Boston University alumni are dominating NHL preseason headlines for very different reasons — one is serving time, the other is signing big.

McAvoy Opens Season in the Press Box

Charlie McAvoy won't be suiting up when the Bruins open their 2026-27 campaign on Sept. 29 against the Rangers. The BU product is facing a six-game suspension stemming from a slashing incident involving Zach Benson that occurred during the postseason.

McAvoy addressed the situation publicly this week, acknowledging the severity of the infraction without deflecting blame. "I lost my wits to a certain degree and I have regrets about that, certainly," he said, per Boston.com. In a separate statement covered by Sports Illustrated, McAvoy also provided a health update, suggesting he's physically ready to play — just not permitted to.

The suspension is a significant blow to Boston's blue line. McAvoy is the Bruins' anchor defenseman and the kind of two-way presence that can't easily be replaced on a game-to-game basis. Six games without him is a real test for a team that's expected to be in playoff contention. When he does return, all eyes will be on how quickly he can re-establish his rhythm — and whether the Bruins can keep their heads above water in the early standings without him.

Celebrini Signs, Soars Into Year Two

Meanwhile, in San Jose, Macklin Celebrini is entering his sophomore NHL season with a massive contract extension in his pocket and franchise-defining expectations on his shoulders.

The Sharks center — a BU product and recent top draft pick — signed a five-year deal and spoke about it at the NHL Players Media Tour in Las Vegas this week. Despite the size of the contract, Celebrini admitted to Yahoo Sports that the new deal still feels "weird" to him, a candid admission that underscores just how fast his rise has been.

Celebrini and the Sharks are building off what Sportsnet described as a "massive breakout performance" in 2025-26, with the organization clearly betting on the young center as the cornerstone of a franchise that has been in rebuild mode for years. The pressure that comes with that role — and that paycheck — is not lost on Celebrini, who also opened up in a Hollywood Reporter interview about misconceptions surrounding his public image.

For BU faithful, Celebrini's trajectory is the kind of alumni story that doesn't come around often: a player not just surviving the NHL's early career crucible, but apparently thriving in it fast enough to earn a long-term commitment before his second season even begins.

Also Worth Watching

Brady Tkachuk, another Terrier alum, made waves of his own this summer after being traded from Ottawa to the Florida Panthers — where he now plays alongside his brother Matthew. Tkachuk was vocal at the media tour about pushing back on criticism of his departure from Ottawa, saying he "gave absolutely everything" to the Senators organization. It's a storyline that has followed him into the preseason, but one he appears eager to move past as he begins a new chapter in South Florida.

Three BU alumni, three distinct narratives — and the 2026-27 season hasn't even dropped the puck yet.

Boston University's footprint across the NHL is impossible to ignore this offseason, and three storylines in particular are driving the conversation: two Terriers reuniting in South Florida, and one becoming Montreal's most exciting defensive prospect in years.

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Marchand and Tkachuk Suit Up Together in Florida

The Florida Panthers didn't just add a power forward this offseason — they assembled a line that NHL opponents are already dreading. Brady Tkachuk was traded from Ottawa to Florida earlier this summer, landing him on a roster that already featured fellow BU alum Brad Marchand. The two Terriers are now teammates on one of the league's most physically imposing rosters, joining Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett in what could be the most abrasive forward group in recent memory.

Tkachuk has already been spotted on the ice at Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale, skating alongside Sasha Barkov and his brother Matthew in high-intensity offseason drills — a sign he's wasting no time settling in. Marchand, for his part, has been characteristically unbothered by the circus surrounding the trade, trolling former Tkachuk teammate Tim Stützle on social media shortly after the deal went down.

The Panthers' offseason ambition doesn't appear to stop there, either. Reports have surfaced suggesting Florida has explored acquiring Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck — a move that, if completed, would cement the club as a legitimate super-team contender heading into 2026-27.

Back in Ottawa, the Senators aren't exactly moving on quietly. The franchise has already announced plans for a ceremony marking Tkachuk's return to Canadian Tire Centre on Oct. 21, when the Panthers visit as a divisional rival. The building figures to be electric.

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Hutson Keeps Stacking Accolades in Montreal

While the Panthers storyline dominates the headlines, Lane Hutson is quietly building a case as one of the best young defensemen in the game. The Canadiens blueliner has landed on the NHL's top-15 assists list for the second time, a remarkable distinction that underscores just how dynamic his playmaking has been at the NHL level.

What makes the Hutson situation even more compelling for Montreal is the contract he's playing under. Analysts have noted that his deal with the Canadiens has turned into exceptional team-friendly value — significant leverage for a franchise building toward contention. For a Habs team investing heavily in its rebuild, locking up a point-producing defenseman at a team-favorable number is the kind of asset management that wins championships down the road.

Hutson isn't the only BU product in Montreal, either — forward Luke Tuch is also on the Canadiens roster — but it's the young defenseman who has the city buzzing.

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One More Terrier Worth Watching

Trevor Zegras, now with the Philadelphia Flyers, is drawing attention in a different context: a recent ranking of the NHL's best centers omitted him, and analysts are pushing back. Zegras has a legitimate case to be considered among the league's elite at the position, and the debate over his ranking reflects just how much expectation surrounds his next chapter in Philly.

Between Marchand and Tkachuk in Florida, Hutson ascending in Montreal, and Zegras generating buzz in Philadelphia, BU alumni are shaping narratives across the league before a single puck has dropped in 2026-27.

The Contract That Rewrote the Record Books

Boston University's most decorated active NHL alumnus just got paid like it.

Macklin Celebrini, the San Jose Sharks' 19-year-old center, signed a five-year, $94 million contract extension this offseason — an $18.8 million average annual value that, at the time of signing, made him the highest-paid player in NHL history. The deal doesn't kick in until the 2027–28 season, with Celebrini still completing his entry-level contract, but the statement it made was immediate and unambiguous: San Jose is building its future around a BU product.

Celebrini himself was candid about why he left money on the table to stay. According to NHL.com's Max Miller, the young center acknowledged that keeping the deal team-friendly was a deliberate priority throughout negotiations — a notable stance for a player with this much leverage. "That was at the front of my mind throughout the whole negotiation," Celebrini said, per ClutchPoints. He wants the Sharks to be able to surround him with talent as the rebuild matures.

The record didn't last long. Colorado defenseman Cale Makar subsequently surpassed the $20 million AAV threshold, bumping Celebrini from the top spot. But the context doesn't diminish what Celebrini secured: a franchise-defining commitment from an organization that hasn't sniffed the playoffs in years, and is now openly banking on a BU alum to end that drought.

The Rankings Stamp of Approval

The contract wasn't the only validation Celebrini received this week. NHL Network ranked him the third-best center in the league — a leap from 19th place just one summer ago. That kind of jump in the span of a single season reflects how quickly Celebrini has shed any "top prospect" qualifier and stepped into the conversation as a genuinely elite player at the position. For a program that has produced NHL centers for decades, placing a sophomore inside the top three league-wide is a landmark moment.

Hutson and the Norris Trophy Debate

Meanwhile, in Montreal, another BU alum is generating hardware conversations of his own. Lane Hutson, the Canadiens' dynamic young defenseman, landed on NHL's top-15 assist list for the season — and his name is now appearing in early Norris Trophy discussions, though not everyone is convinced the accolade is in his near future. Hutson's offensive upside is unquestioned; the debate centers on whether his defensive game will catch up with his playmaking. The Canadiens, for their part, are still working to shore up the right side of their blue line, which has created some positional awkwardness for Hutson.

Tkachuk Heads to South Florida

One more BU alumni note: Brady Tkachuk is no longer a Senator. He was traded to the Florida Panthers this offseason, teaming up with brother Matthew in what figures to be one of the more physically imposing forward groups in the Atlantic Division. Tkachuk recently addressed being booed by Oilers fans in his new Panthers context — a sign he's already settling into a market with playoff expectations baked in.

Three BU alumni. Three very different chapters. Celebrini's is the one NHL history will remember.