Red, White & Blue-Collar

We couldn't be prouder to be working with Charlie McAvoy as he heads off to Italy to represent our country with the grit and grind you learn growing up around the trades.

Charlie was raised in Long Beach, New York, where his dad, Charlie Sr., runs McAvoy Plumbing & Heating - a soon-to-be fourth-generation family business.

He learned from his dad the way most kids do - by watching. Every morning, he’d watch his dad put his boots on, load his tools into the truck, and head out the door. And every night, after a hard day’s work, he’d see his dad come back through the door - covered in dirt and ready to spend time with the family.

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“He worked as hard as anybody I know,” Charlie said about his dad. “As a plumber, you’re sweating your ass off and working hard every single day - and it can be tough to have a great day. But I remember him always getting the job done no matter what.”

Plumbing doesn’t sugarcoat problems, it doesn’t lie to you. The pipe holds pressure, or it doesn’t. You show up when you say you will, or you risk ruining your reputation. You answer that 5 a.m. call when someone’s basement’s flooded, or the house keeps flooding. You don’t just survive in this business - you earn the right to be in it every day.

"Growing up, that was probably the biggest lesson I got," Charlie said. "Anything you want in life, you've got to earn it. No one's going to give it to you. I had that chip on my shoulder as a kid. Coming from here - a trade town, plumbing and heating - I knew I had to f***ing work for it."

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You can see that work ethic and accountability in Charlie’s game. Every shift, every hit, every battle in the corner, coming back from injury - it’s his responsibility. He never took his family’s sacrifices for granted as a kid. He doesn't take his position on the team for granted today. He works his ass off every minute and fights to earn his place.

"He knows where he came from is what I like to say," Charlie Sr. said. "We work for everything we get. I always told him - nobody's going to give you anything. You work for it every day. And he's always taken that to heart."

On playing for his country, McAvoy said "it's just such an honor. I think every kid has that [thought] growing up where they're pretending to be Mike Eruzione out here, and scoring the game-winning goal. So, I mean, it's just a dream come true to have a chance to do that, and I really can't wait for the opportunity. It's going to be really special."

Over the years, the Bruins have had flashier playmakers and louder personalities. But Charlie earns something that lasts longer than headlines: respect. The respect of his teammates, fans, and family. The same respect his dad has built one job at a time for 40 years.

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Charlie Sr. still laces up work boots most mornings. Charlie laces up skates. Different jobs, different equipment, but the same principles: lead by example and earn it every day. That’s the backbone of what we're building at BRUNT. And that's why we're proud to partner with Charlie McAvoy - and with the McAvoy family name - and we'll be cheering him on when he hits the ice to represent the red, white, and blue-collar.