The Boston Bruins rushed Matthew Poitras‘ jump to the NHL early.
Selected 54th overall in 2022, he began his professional hockey career with the Bruins during the 2023-24 season under head coach Jim Montgomery. Poitras’ talents were on display for 33 games, recording 15 points (five goals, ten assists), showcasing his potential.
Related: Poitras a Casualty of Bruins’ Roster Moves
He ended his season with a shoulder injury that required surgery, with a significant recovery time (five months).
Poitras’ rookie season in the NHL was a success despite the injury, showing he was capable of adapting to the NHL ice.
Poitras played another 33-game season in 2024-25, this time with underwhelming results in the league, recording 11 points (one goal, ten assists). That resulted in another demotion for Poitras.
Is this the season he’s finally overcome his obstacles? CausewayCrowd documented his early-season struggles; in contrast, he’s improved his performance this season with his ongoing points streak in the American Hockey League (AHL).
With his recent six-game points streak in the AHL, the Bruins have to consider promoting him to the NHL, given the struggles we’ve seen from players in their forward core. In 59 games this season, as a Providence Bruin, he’s recorded 13 goals and 41 points as one of the P-Bruins’ best forwards.
Where Matthew Poitras Would Fit In
In the last six games with the Providence Bruins, he’s recorded seven points (two goals, five assists).
The Bruins are still competing for a playoff spot with ten games left in the regular season. This is where Poitras could come into play to give the Bruins extra depth in the forward core.
Instead of letting him languish on the bench, the team should place him on the wing to ease him into the NHL, prioritizing his continued development, giving the team some extra firepower.
The Bruins’ offense isn’t anemic, but the point production in the top six leaves a little to be desired. This is where Poitras could make a difference.
They would have to consider pushing Lukas Reichel down the ranks, along with Casey Mittelstadt, to give him a spot to flourish. They should be able to gauge where he is in his development after spending the majority of the season in the AHL.
Reichel is familiar with playing in the bottom six and has only recorded two points in his last ten games.
Poitras could slot in alongside Fraser Minten or Pavel Zacha to gain experience as a forward while giving him a mentor until the end of the regular season. It would also give the Bruins and their players a chance to earn a wildcard spot in the playoffs. It’s a multi-purpose call-up, which head coach Marco Sturm could continue to use as a lightning rod for a team fighting for a wildcard spot.
Corey Pronman’s scouting report from 2022 gave us an idea of what Poitras is capable of.
“He shows good instincts as a playmaker and can shoot the puck well enough to score from the dots. He’s not the biggest guy, but he works hard, wins puck battles and isn’t afraid to take a hit to generate chances.”
from ‘NHL Draft 2022 top 127 prospects: Juraj Slafkovsky leads Corey Pronman’s list,’ The Athletic – 05/31/22
Worst-case scenario: Poitras fails to live up to expectations with his latest move to the NHL, and the Bruins get an idea of whether or not they need to move on from him or consider trading another forward in the ranks who isn’t working out, giving him a full-time role in the NHL. But with his point streak, he deserves a promotion.
