BOSTON — Hockey was not fun for Matt Poitras. The second-year pro was parked in a four-game pointless streak. His coach was on him. On Nov. 9, Poitras earned only 11:08 of ice time in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators.
Two days later, Poitras was demoted to the AHL for the first time as a professional.
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“It’s a tough league,” Poitras said of the NHL. “When things don’t go your way, it’s obviously very frustrating. I was frustrated. But I feel better now.”
Being back in the NHL tends to make days sunny again.
Poitras returned to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning following his two-month Providence internship. The 20-year-old, eligible to play in the AHL for the first time in his career, scored eight goals and 12 assists in 23 games. Providence general manager Evan Gold and coach Ryan Mougenel would not have advocated for Poitras’ promotion had he not remade himself into an NHL-ready center.
Poitras centered the No. 3 line between Trent Frederic and Charlie Coyle in Tuesday’s 6-2 win. In the first period, after Victor Hedman whiffed on an offensive-zone shot, Poitras scurried off with Frederic for a two-on-one rush. Poitras waited for Nick Perbix to hit the deck, then hit Frederic for a back-door slam dunk to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead.
Potsy ➡️ Freddy 🙌🚨 pic.twitter.com/T4G1wJOqOV
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 15, 2025
“He uses his speed there and he used his creativity,” interim coach Joe Sacco said. “To be able to hang onto the puck the way he did while that D was sliding, hang onto it and get it by him over to Freddy, it was a really good play. You could tell right away it kind of energized our group.”
The Bruins recalled Poitras amid additional roster turnover. They placed Charlie McAvoy on injured reserve because of a nagging injury. McAvoy has required extended postgame treatment of late.
The Bruins also placed Mark Kastelic on IR. Kastelic has not played since cracking his head on the ice against the Lightning on Jan. 9. The Bruins also shifted Hampus Lindholm to long-term injured reserve to accommodate the additions of Poitras and Michael Callahan. Callahan made his NHL debut on Tuesday on the No. 3 pair with Andrew Peeke.
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The bosses gave Poitras multiple mandates to see through in Providence. He had to get stronger. He needed to show better endurance toward the end of his shifts.
Poitras played himself into better shape partly because Mougenel gave him more shifts than Montgomery. The AHL schedule, which stuffs games into weekends, lets Poitras spend more time in the gym during the week.
But beyond that, the Bruins wanted Poitras to reawaken the offensive spirit that put him on the radar in camp last year. It would not do to have the center hanging his head after every shift. He needed to play and play with swagger. A Poitras without confidence would do neither himself nor his employer any good.
“I just feel more comfortable as a player compared to when I went down,” Poitras said. “I just feel better overall just being on the ice. I found the love for the game again. It just makes you feel better on the ice every day.”
The Bruins had high expectations for Poitras after he unexpectedly played his way onto the varsity last year. At times, Poitras flashed the offensive creativity to be a dependable No. 3 center behind Pavel Zacha and Coyle. But the rigors of the NHL, compounded by a previous shoulder injury, made Poitras’ rookie season something of a wash.
It was disappointing that Poitras required an AHL demotion this year. The Bruins needed offense from the center, especially after Elias Lindholm staggered at the start. But Poitras was doing little at both ends of the ice and losing his confidence as a result. It didn’t help that the Bruins tried him occasionally at right wing, partly to relieve him of some of the defensive responsibilities at center.
It was critical, then, that Poitras made the most of his minor-league residence. He is that important to the present and future of the slip-sliding Bruins.
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Zacha and Coyle have not played to their 2023-24 thresholds. Lindholm has fallen far short of meeting his $7.75 million average annual value.
If Poitras gains an NHL foothold, he could provide some of the punch the Bruins (2.58 goals per game, No. 28 in the NHL) are missing. But that will require Poitras to gain Sacco’s trust and earn his shifts.
“His compete level needs to be hard away from the puck,” Sacco said. “Those are some of the details, playing defensively in our own zone, those are things we obviously take pride in. He’s getting better at that from all indications down in Providence. He’s getting stronger, which is another good sign for us. I don’t want to take away his offense and turn him into this guy that’s going to be a checker. That’s not what we’re saying. He has to be a good, reliable 200-foot player. But at the same time, let his offense come out.”
Time will tell whether Poitras sticks for good. It would be harmful if he doesn’t. It would waste his 20-game AHL stretch. His confidence would be re-broken. Poitras would have to reset again.
As for the Bruins, their futures department is practically nonexistent. If Poitras can’t stick, Fabian Lysell would be next in line for an NHL opportunity. Lysell has one NHL appearance. There is no one else in the near-term prospect picture.
Poitras had one shot to complement his assist in 14:05 of ice time. Sacco picked his spots, especially on defensive-zone starts, to ease Poitras back in against the shot-heavy Lightning.
It was a credible first step for Poitras. There is much room for improvement.
(Photo: Fred Kfoury III / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Fluto Shinzawa is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Boston Bruins. He has covered the team since 2006, formerly as a staff writer for The Boston Globe. Follow Fluto on Twitter @flutoshinzawa