By: Tom Calautti | Follow me on Twitter/X @TCalauttis
It wasn’t long ago that Matt Poitras was the most exciting player in the Boston Bruins organization. The 2022 second-round pick was the talk of the town when he burst onto the scene ahead of the 2023-24 campaign and made the B’s varsity roster just one season after being drafted.
Poitras put together an impressive rookie season, posting 5-10-15 across 33 games at just 19 years of age. Unfortunately for him, that season was cut short due to a right shoulder injury that forced him to miss the remainder of the season.
That offseason, things began to change for the Black and Gold. General Manager Don Sweeney signed Elias Lindholm in free agency, which added yet another center to a team that already rostered Poitras, Pavel Zacha, and Charlie Coyle. Despite the team’s newest addition, Poitras remained with the big club and once again earned his way onto the team’s NHL roster. That’s when things took a turn.
The 2024-25 season was a disaster for the entire Bruins organization, but it did particular damage to Poitras’ development. The Whitby, ON native started the season centering the third line between Trent Frederic and Justin Brazeau. When the team faltered early, head coach Jim Montgomery opted to change his lines, rotating Poitras between center and wing with multiple different forward combinations before ultimately pulling the plug on the whole experiment.
A few weeks before Thanksgiving, management decided to send Poitras down to Providence for a bit more seasoning. They then called him back up to the NHL in mid-January, only to eventually decide the season was a bust and permanently demoted him to the AHL following the fire sale at the trade deadline.
To Poitras’ credit, he took the demotion in stride and dominated for the Providence Bruins, posting 17-24-41 across 40 minor league games. He returned to training camp eager to win back his roster spot and reassert himself as an NHL talent.
Unfortunately for him, Boston’s center glut once again blocked any opportunity for upward mobility. Lindholm and Zacha were back and healthy, Casey Mittelstadt joined the fray, and newcomer Fraser Minten had the inside track on the team’s third-line center role. Again, Poitras was relegated to the minors, where management gave him a specific set of skills to work on while trying to round out his game.
“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,” said Sweeney after this season’s trade deadline. “We’re not disappointed in Matty. 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.”
Poitras was indeed one of the drivers on this season’s Providence Bruins team, which finished the regular season with a 54-16-2 record. The former 54th overall pick put up respectable numbers in his first full AHL season, notching 13-31-44 across 69 contests while also improving on the ‘details’ of his game.
The Providence Bruins eventually flamed out in the second round of the AHL playoffs, but Poitras continued his strong play. Over the course of that four-game series, the 22-year-old led his team in scoring, chipping in 1-3-4. Even when the players around him faltered, Poitras stood tall and made his play noticeable.
That brings us to this current offseason, where the Boston Bruins find themselves in desperate need of more high-end talent. Because of this glaring hole on the roster, I pose that now is the time for Don Sweeney and company to pick a lane on Matt Poitras.
After almost two full seasons in the minors and 69 games at the NHL level, you can’t convince me that the centerman isn’t ready for a more expanded role. We’ve come to the point where he’s paid his dues, earned his keep, and now deserves an opportunity to be a full-time NHLer.
The question is, will he do that in Boston or somewhere else? The Bruins still have somewhat of a glut down the middle, despite still needing a true number-one center. Zacha is coming off the best season of his career, Minten posted career highs and looks to be blossoming, Lindholm is still on the roster, and now James Hagens has entered the fray.
Despite the sheer amount of bodies Boston has down the middle, they’d be doing a disservice to themselves and Poitras to not give him an opportunity to prove his mettle. Not giving him an opportunity at the NHL level runs the risk of potentially stunting his development and will have a negative impact on his trade value.
There are still ways to make room for him at the pro level. Elias Lindholm and James Hagens could start next season on the wing, paving the way for Minten and Zacha to share the top two center spots and give Poitras a clear runway as a third-line center.
If they can’t find a way to implement him into their top nine forward group, the best option for both sides would be a trade. The Bruins could package him with picks and prospects to acquire a more seasoned and consistent presence, and Poitras gets the opportunity he clearly deserves.
Regardless of the direction they choose, it’s time for the organization to decide on Matt Poitras. Whether he stays or goes, management needs to make a decision before it’s too late.
Leave a Reply