BOSTON — How healthy is the United States roster right now?
That’s one of the biggest questions ahead of Team USA’s much-anticipated 4 Nations Face-Off championship game matchup versus Canada on Thursday night at TD Garden in Boston.
The U.S. was already banged up entering Monday night’s round robin finale versus Sweden and dressed just 11 forwards and six defensemen. First-line wing Matthew Tkachuk didn’t play Monday due to a lower body injury that forced him to miss the final 12:36 of last Saturday’s 3-1 win over Canada.
United States captain and top-six center Auston Matthews didn’t play Monday as a precaution. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy didn’t play versus Sweden, either. Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan said postgame that both Matthews and McAvoy have upper body injuries.
Shortly after Sullivan’s press conference, The Boston Globe’s Jim McBride reported McAvoy was admitted to Mass. General Hospital on Monday night. The Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported a further update Tuesday morning:
UPDATE: McAvoy …