By: Jason Cooke | Follow me on X @cookejournalism
Come Friday, the Boston Bruins will be looking to replenish their prospect pool with a flashy talent. After a lowly 33-39-10 season landed them the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Bruins will be tasked with landing a player of promise with such a high spot in the first round.
While players such as James Hagens, Roger McQueen, or any of the other players left on the board at No. 7 certainly provide an enormous amount of upside, a young prospect is hardly ever a shoo-in to succeed at the highest level. There are no guarantees.
Time will tell whether Boston’s pick transforms into a franchise-altering talent. But until then, there are plenty of young players within the organization that can undoubtedly impact a club yearning to avoid a rebuild this season. Be it Fabian Lysell, Fraser Mintin or Matthew Poitras, the 2025-26 season will be an important campaign for many youngsters to prove themselves.
That sentiment rings especially true for Poitras, who wasn’t exactly at the top of the hockey world’s radar ahead of the 2022 draft. When the Bruins selected him with the 54th pick in the second round, Boston was taking a chance on a highly skilled playmaker who showed signs of being a reliable center. Since then, the 21-year-old has shown glimpses of being just that.
From forcing the organization’s hand to make the roster in 2023-24 to demonstrating a scoring knack at the NHL level, Poitras should be a reminder that talent doesn’t always have to come from a blue-chip prospect snatched off the board in the first round. Mason Lohrei, another second-round pick, recently inked an extension with Boston.
But even while Poitras has proved himself as a legitimate option to play a role in Boston’s retool, the upcoming season is an important benchmark for the 5-foot-11, 180-pound center to crack a permanent spot on the roster.
Poitras looked to be a mainstay when he hit the ground running as a rookie. Posting 5-10-15 in 33 games until a shoulder injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season, the youngster made it clear that his skillset could translate to the NHL. His soft hands and smooth skating paired well with his natural scoring touch.
However, like all young players eventually experience, the physicality of NHL hockey began to take a toll on Poitras. After being on the shelf with a shoulder injury for the remainder of his rookie season, Poitras arrived at training camp last fall with a larger frame following an active summer in the weight room. He told reporters he felt stronger, adding nearly 10 pounds to help navigate the constant strain of being a pro.
Still, Poitras’ sophomore NHL season offered plenty of bumps as he looked to reacclimate himself with the B’s. Appearing in 33 games, Poitras registered only one goal and 10 assists while spending the majority of the season in Providence. But in 40 games with the Providence Bruins, Poitras notched 17-24-41 and seemingly found his touch.
And when Poitras hits the ice this fall, it will be a critical time in his development to see whether the strides he made at the AHL level translate back to the NHL. There is certainly a spot for Poitras to fight for on Boston’s current depth chart up the middle that boasts the likes of Elias Lindholm, Casey Mittelstadt, Mintin and Mark Kastelic. While Poitras may not project as a top-six option, his scoring punch would very well anchor a third-line role as long as his two-way play continues to trend in the right direction. But it will always be a marathon — not a sprint — with young players like Poitras. And that sentiment will hold true even for a highly-touted prospect that will become a Bruin at No. 7 overall Friday.
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