By: Tom Calautti | Follow me on Twitter/X @TCalaut
Matt Poitras is looking to change the narrative. After losing the third-line center job to Fraser Minten in training camp and struggling out of the gate in Providence, it looked like the former second-rounder might’ve lost his shine. But he’s picked himself up off the mat and proven that he has plenty more to give.
Things haven’t necessarily been easy for Poitras since being selected with the 54th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. Sure, he burst onto the scene when he made the Bruins out of camp at the beginning of the 2023-24 season and started the year with five points in seven games. But that season didn’t end the way he, or Bruins fans, wanted.
He was able to notch 5-10-15 across his first 33 NHL games, a solid stat line for an upcoming 20-year-old prospect. Unfortunately, that progress was cut short when he had to undergo a right shoulder stabilization procedure in February of 2024, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season.
Poitras and the Bruins organization as a whole had high hopes for the 2024-25 season. After all, the Black and Gold were coming off a season where they exceeded expectations and took the eventual Stanley Cup winners to six games in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
But the young centerman, and a large majority of his teammates not named David Pastrnak, got off to a rough start that they never truly recovered from. Poitras was only able to muster 1-3-4 through 14 games and was eventually sent down to Providence in order to find his game.
The Black and Gold would go on to relieve head coach Jim Montgomery of his duties and recall Poitras in January of 2025. Unfortunately, the whole squad never truly found its footing, and the Bruins ended up selling at the deadline and returning Poitras to Providence for more seasoning.
That’s where the youngster began to show flickers of life. After being sent down for a second time in March of 2025, Poitras would go on to skate in 16 games for Providence, posting 8-12-20 during that stretch. He finished his first AHL season with 17-24-41 in 40 games.
Despite his stellar performance, the play-making center still didn’t have a guaranteed spot on the 2025-26 opening night roster. The organization pitted him and Fraser Minten against each other in a roster battle that would eventually go Minten’s way. Poitras had to sharpen his game in the minors to reinsert himself into the NHL conversation.
Poitras got off to a slow start this season (1-6-7 in 15 games), and that led some to speculate about his future with the organization. As the trade deadline approached, multiple outlets reported that Poitras was someone the Bruins were dangling in hopes of acquiring a more established roster piece.
The trade deadline came and went without any major moves, and Poitras stayed put with the Bruins organization. When given the opportunity to comment on Poitras’ progress, General Manager Don Sweeney had nothing but good things to say.
“He’s just continued to round out at a very young age, and he’s responded,” said Sweeney during his post-trade deadline press conference. “It’s great to see him round out to be a little more of a complete player, managing the puck, managing your shift length, understanding where space is, and staying healthy.”
It seems like Poitras was sent to the minors with a mission at the outset of this season. Play a more complete 200-foot game, improve your offensive instincts, pick your spots, and avoid the big hit.
Despite starting slow, Poitras has shown marked improvement in all of those areas, and the best news for Bruins fans is that the points are finally starting to come. Over his last 18 games, Poitras has notched 5-9-14 and increased his overall season total to 11-23-34 across 52 games.
If his most recent stretch is proof of an enhanced style of play more conducive to the NHL level, then Poitras should still be a hot commodity in Boston’s system. At only 22 years old, his development looks to be back on track.
“We’re not disappointed in Matty,” Sweeney continued. “He’s really taken to heart to try to lead a Providence team that’s had a helluva season. He’s had a big part of that. We’re excited where Matt Poitras is in his development. He’s already proven he can come and play.”
The big question is whether the Bruins decide that Poitras is part of their long-term plans. Maybe Sweeney & co. still view him as a bargaining chip as they build towards the future, and maybe they see him as a compliment to their core.
However they see it, it’s important to acknowledge how far the centerman has come and how much adversity he’s overcome to get where he is. There’s a lot to be excited about in this team’s future, but make sure you don’t take your eyes off Matt Poitras.
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