Charlie McAvoy’s Olympic diary: On US women’s gold and preparing to face Slovakia

The Athletic has reside protection of Canada vs. Finland and USA vs. Slovakia within the 2026 Winter Olympics males’s hockey semifinals.

Throughout the Winter Olympics, Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy is giving readers of TheAthletic An inside have a look at Team USA.

At 28 years previous, McAvoy, a former Boston University standout and three-time gold medalist in worldwide tournaments, is in his ninth full NHL season. The top-pair defenseman to the best of Quinn Hughes is considered one of Auston Matthews’ two alternate captains on the Olympics, with Matthew Tkachuk the opposite.

Here’s his fourth diary entry, edited for readability and size, as informed to senior author Michael Russo. His first could be discovered right herehis second could be discovered right here and his third could be discovered right here.

MILAN — Last night time was so inspiring, for our nation and for our crew that additionally aspires to win gold.

It was actually enjoyable to watch our women’s crew taking part in such an unbelievable sport towards an amazing Canada crew, win within the style they did and then have gold medals put round their necks with the nationwide anthem taking part in.

We have been at dinner, a bunch of fellows on the crew, and we had it on the telephones, and then we received again to the Olympic Village and all of us went to our crew house on the third ground. When Megan Keller scored that sensational purpose, there have been a variety of jumps, a variety of completely happy yells and a variety of goosebumps the best way it ended. It was simply superior. It was a very nice hockey sport. They had an incredible match. And that was the end they deserved. But that they had to earn it, which was unbelievable. I’m simply so completely happy for them.

I do know 5 of these ladies by means of my sister, Heather. They all performed at Bishop Kearney Selects collectively — Ava McNaughton, Haley Winn, Kirsten Simms, Caroline Harvey and Laila Edwards. And then their assistant coach, Brent Hill. They all performed there, and now they’re Olympic gold medalists. I do know Ava, Haley and Kirsten by means of my sister, however I actually know Caroline and Laila. I’ve talked to Caroline loads on the Village, and she’s going to be among the best women’s hockey gamers, possibly ever. And Laila, I really feel like I’ve seen her all over the place within the Village and in these Olympics. She’s a celebrity. Those two are so nice and I really like speaking store with them since I’m a defenseman. But my sister simply graduated from Saint Anselm final yr and she at all times talks about how wonderful they have been as gamers, but in addition all nice individuals, so I’m so pleased with them.

It’s inspiring to us. We need to get to the place they received to.

It’s been for actual because the second we received right here. But this subsequent one tonight towards Slovakia? You know what you are taking part in for now: an opportunity to go to the gold medal sport. But I feel final sport, simply sort of reflecting on that, that is a Sweden crew that might win this match. They have the goaltending, they’ve the defensemen, they’ve the forwards, the marquee names. They simply have all the pieces there.

So to get that sport within the quarterfinals, whether or not you need to name it a tricky draw or no matter it’s, I feel it simply ready us higher. I feel we have gone by means of what I used to be pondering was a gold-medal-quality sport. That’s what you could possibly have seen in a gold medal sport. I feel should you flip the title of that sport, nobody could be stunned. So I feel we’re simply higher ready now. I feel we’re battle-tested, and I feel it’s going to assist us shifting ahead.

We simply had a very good morning skate; now I’m going to catch the bus. We’re going to get out of right here and get to the USA Winter House. That’s the place our pregame meal is, so we’ll eat, then we’ll get again to the Village, contact base with household, sort of kill slightly little bit of time and then I’ll attempt to get in a pleasant, lengthy nap.

These 9 o’clock video games make for lengthy days. But at the least we perceive the schedule now.

I am unable to look forward to that nap, although. I’ll let you know one factor I introduced to Milan that I could not reside with out: my pillow and blanket.

I introduced my very own pillow from house, and then my spouse packed me a blanket. I have never slept on the rest.