A debate has arisen regarding whether the Boston Bruins should demote top defenseman Charlie McAvoy once he returns to the lineup. Charlie McAvoy has been out of the lineup since Jan.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy will return to the lineup Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets, interim head coach Joe Sacco announced, according to Boston Sports Journal's Joe Haggerty.McAvoy missed the previous seven games due to a nagging upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy is still recovering from an undisclosed injury with no set return date.

The Boston Bruins are back on the ice tomorrow afternoon to face off against the San Jose Sharks. They will aim to bounce back after a deflating shootout loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. While speaking to reporters, head coach Joe Sacco shared that star defenseman Charlie McAvoy will once again not be in the lineup against the Sharks.

“He’ll be out (Monday) again and then we’ll just see how he progresses after,” Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco told reporters after Sunday’s practice. “Like I said he was going to be out through the weekend then we’ll re-evaluate him after that and see where he’s at."

This is exciting news for the Bruins, as Lindholm and McAvoy are two of their top defenders. Skating in regular jerseys is a major step in the right direction for the pair. However, they won't be back in the lineup just yet, as head coach Joe Sacco said they won't be options against the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 28.