Charlie McAvoy will not win the Norris Trophy this year.

In fact, with point-producers like Cale Makar, Zach Werenski and Quinn Hughes as his peers, it is conceivable that he never wins one. The fact that Zdeno Chara — a first-ballot Hall of Famer and as good a shutdown defenseman as there ever was — won only one Norris tells you all you need to know about how much offensive production matters in that voting.

But the truth of the matter is that in the Bruins’ last 12 games in which they’ve gone 9-2-1 and revived their playoff hopes, Charlie McAvoy has been playing like a true No. 1 defenseman, playing a sound game in his own zone, moving the puck out quickly and then chipping in at the other end of the ice.

In Thursday’s white-knuckle win over the Vegas Golden Knights in which he played a team-high 27:01, McAvoy kicked off the scoring with a one-timer slapper on the power-play, displaying quicker trigger finger than he’s shown in the past. Then, with 27 seconds left in the game, he came up with a huge block of a Jack Eichel shot, thwarting the Knights’ last best chance to even the game.

One could argue that he’s playing the best hockey of his career right now. After the B’s white-knuckle win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, coach Marco Sturm didn’t try to make that argument. He’s only had been watching him up close for less than a season.

But Sturm is liking what he’s seeing.

“He’s been outstanding as of late, for a while now. He’s like a horse out there. It’s almost like you want him playing for 60 minutes because he does everything right right now,” said Sturm after the win. “Blocking a shot is part of his game, too. I’m just very happy the way he’s playing right now, especially in those crucial moments of the game when we need to stay calm and be at the right spot. And he’s been there for us.”

After McAvoy suffered a broken jaw on November 15 in Montreal from a Noah Dobson slapper, one couldn’t help but think this might be another cursed season for the D-man. His season was ended in the 4 Nations tournament last year when he suffered shoulder injury and subsequent infection.

He missed almost a month with the broken jaw. But in a hopeful joke, he said that he’s decided that he’s leaving all the bad stuff behind in 2025. The new year has been much better for him.

Since returning, he’s gotten used to playing with playing with the bubble. He’s also gotten over some brief gun shyness.

“Right when I came back when I put the bubble on, early on I was pretty hesitant when stuff was coming at me,” said McAvoy. “You’re kind of in your head a little bit. But it didn’t last long. I just honestly forgot about it and I just started playing normally and didn’t think about it.”

He took the Eichel shot in a vulnerable spot, off the right instep, and it appeared at first that he might have been injured on the play. But he was able to shake it off and finish the game. McAvoy said he was fine after the game.

“It was my turn. Sometimes it’s your turn and it was my turn,” said McAvoy. “You’ve got to block that shot and we’ve got to see this thing through. Two points are huge for us and what this team is trying to accomplish. And it wasn’t just that. A lot of guys stepped up and made big plays tonight. But in the moment, it was my turn to step up.”

McAvoy has been stepping up in a lot of ways lately….

The B’s will try to start a new win streak on Saturday but it won’t be easy. The archrival Montreal Canadiens will be in town (7 pm). The Habs beat the B’s at the Garden on December 23, 6-2, breaking open what had been a tight game with four goals in the third period.

The teams have split the two games, with the B’s winning that game in Montreal in which McAvoy took the slapper.

The B’s could draw within a point of the third-place Habs with a regulation win, though the very real Buffalo Sabres are sandwiched in between the B’s and Habs.

While the league is doing it’s best to water down any rivalries, the players are doing their equal best to keep the flame burning. Both games have started with fights off the opening draw, so you might want to be in your seats for puck drop.