( Photo Credit: Winslow Townson / Getty Images )

By: Eamonn McLean | Follow me on Twitter/X @EamonnMcLean44

Matthew Poitras has exceeded expectations since the Boston Bruins selected him 54th overall in the 2022 National Hockey League Entry Draft. Whether it was lighting up the Ontario Hockey League or making the Bruins roster out of training camp, Poitras has seized each opportunity since his selection.

This campaign has been no different. After a long recovery from shoulder surgery, many wondered if Poitras would spend some time in the American Hockey League, perhaps needing more time to get up to the speed of the NHL. The Ajax, Ontario native quieted those concerns with a solid preseason, making the team for the second year in a row.

Now, six games into the regular season, Poitras is again making noise in Boston. Since his return from an injury suffered on a hit by Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, Poitras is second on the Bruins in even strength expected goals for percentage, behind only Cole Koepke. At all strengths, Poitras is first on the team in that same metric.

So far this season, the Bruins have scored 21 goals, tied for sixth league-wide. However, the Bruins have yet to get much help from their top-six. Brad Marchand and Morgan Geekie are still looking for their first goals of the season. Meanwhile their most frequent linemate, Charlie Coyle, has only scored once. Head Coach Jim Montgomery has also tried Trent Frederic and Justin Brazeau in the top-six, and hasn’t gotten the desired results. Could Poitras be the missing ingredient needed to get Boston back on track?

While Poitras’ advanced numbers suggest he is solid at driving play offensively, he has only one point this season. Although some players have impressive expected goals numbers but don’t produce, there is reason to believe Poitras is different. In his 33 games with the Bruins last season, Poitras produced 15 points. He did so while not getting top-six minutes or an opportunity on the top power play unit. Increasing Poitras’ time on ice could lead to increased results.

Given Poitras’ ability to drive play and his track record of producing points, promoting the youngster to the B’s second-line makes sense. The question is, where? Poitras is versatile and able to play both center and right-wing. In four games, Poitras has won 81.3% of his faceoffs this season, second on the team behind Morgan Geekie, making him an option at center. But perhaps a better option is for him to play on the wing. Doing so could allow Poitras to exercise his offensive skill while not having to worry as much about matching up defensively with the league’s elite centers. Adding Poitras’ playmaking to the right side of Coyle could help the Weymouth native return to the form he showed last season when he scored a career-high 25 goals. This could also allow Geekie to center the third-line, a role where he has had past success. Whether down the middle or on the right-wing, Matthew Poitras has earned a chance in the Bruins’ top-six.