Charlie McAvoy Returning To CCM... Well, We Think So

The 2025-26 NHL season has just begun, and Boston Bruins’ defenseman Charlie McAvoy is once again reminding everyone why he’s one of the league’s premier blueliners. Entering his ninth NHL season, the Long Beach, New York native continues to anchor Boston’s defense with his trademark mix of power, poise, and intelligence.

But for those who follow the world of hockey equipment closely, McAvoy’s start to the season has revealed another storyline entirely. That being his apparent return to CCM equipment.

Over the first few weeks of preseason and now the regular season, McAvoy has been seen using CCM sticks and gloves. Signaling what looks like a reunion with a brand that played a major role early on in his career.

More specifically, McAvoy has been wearing CCM’s new JetSpeed FT8 Pro gloves, a model that only recently made its way into the NHL. Considering how difficult it can be for new glove models to gain traction amongst NHL stars, seeing a player of McAvoy’s stature adopt the FT8s so quickly is noteworthy. It’s not just a subtle change, it’s a strong endorsement of CCM’s latest design and comfort updates.

For McAvoy, this isn’t entirely unfamiliar territory. Early in his career, particularly during his first full season in 2017-18, he was one of CCM’s most visible young defensemen. At the time, he was using nearly all CCM equipment, with the lone exception being his skates.

Those CCM tools helped him establish himself as Boston’s next cornerstone on defense and one of the league’s top two-way defenders. The fit between player and brand seemed natural. As CCM gained a rising star, and McAvoy found gear that suited his game perfectly.

However, things changed heading into the 2021-22 season, when McAvoy made a full transition to Bauer equipment. By that point, he had developed into a Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman, and his switch to Bauer was seen as a new chapter.

Likely influenced by personal comfort, product preferences, or perhaps contract factors. For several seasons, he remained loyal to Bauer from head to toe, and the partnership seemed solidified.

That was until March of last season. While recovering from injury late in the 2024-25 campaign, McAvoy returned to the ice for practice sessions. It was at a few of these practices that something unusual was first noticed.

Instead of the familiar Bauer markings on his stick, McAvoy was seen testing CCM’s latest models. At the time, it was easy to dismiss as experimentation or offseason curiosity. But as training camp rolled around this fall, it became clear that something more was happening.

Now, with the new season officially underway, McAvoy has made the switch back to CCM sticks and gloves full-time. His new JetSpeed FT8 Pro gloves have drawn plenty of attention, both for their sleek design and for representing a potential rekindling of his relationship with CCM.

At the same time, McAvoy continues to wear Bauer skates, pants, and a helmet. Interestingly, that combination mirrors his early-career preferences, when he wore Bauer skates even while partnered with CCM the first time around.

The big question now is whether McAvoy’s current setup signals a formal reunion with CCM, or simply a case of personal preference and testing. As of now, there’s been no official announcement from either side.

It’s entirely possible that he remains an equipment free agent, free to mix and match as he pleases.

Whatever the case may be, McAvoy’s gear choices have once again made him a topic of conversation among hockey equipment enthusiasts. His willingness to revisit CCM, particularly with their newest technology, suggests that he still values the feel and performance that first helped him make his mark in the league.

As the season progresses, it will be fascinating to see if McAvoy expands his CCM use to include other pieces of equipment. Perhaps skates, pants, or even a helmet may come along down the road.

At the very least, his evolving gear story adds yet another layer of intrigue to one of the NHL’s most reliable and respected defensemen.

Photo Credit: Richard T Gagnon