Bocephus86
Registered User
I think the kid realizing that he should try avoiding contact more often is a much better place to start from than a kid that realizes he needs to seek contact a bit more.
Matt Poitras is back at Bruins development camp. This time, as a player with NHL experience. - The Boston Globe
This past season, Poitras scored 13 points in his first 27 games while averaging 14:06 of ice time.www.bostonglobe.com
Matt Poitras turned 20 less than four months ago. But the playmaking center entered the dressing room at Warrior Ice Arena on Monday as the Bruins’ elder statesman— at least as far as NHL reps were concerned.
Even though he’s still one of the youngest players at development camp, Poitras has a leg up on his teammates in that he’s already established himself as a contributor at hockey’s highest level.
But after spending most of the spring on the mend following season-ending surgery in February, the Bruins’ top prospect isn’t planning on going through the motions during the four-day camp.
“I’m just trying to come in and still do my thing,” he said. “I’m a bit older. It’s my third camp now. So try and lead and just make sure our standard is being held up. Just try and be there for everybody.”
Despite going under the knife to correct an ailing shoulder, Poitras was a full participant in Monday’s skate — showing no restrictions.
”I feel good, no pain or anything . . . Obviously, you don’t want to rush things,” Poitras said. “It’s still the start of July and we’ve got two more months until camp starts, so no need to rush anything.”
Poitras’s playmaking poise and vision allowed him to shatter his developmental timeline last October — dodging an assignment back to junior hockey after showcasing his talents in the Bruins’ first nine regular-season games.
For an extended stretch of October and November, Poitras was primed to make a legitimate run at a top-six spot — scoring 13 points in his first 27 games while averaging 14:06 of ice time.
But be it the taxing schedule, increased competition, or the physicality of the NHL, the rookie hit a wall. After slamming his shoulder into the ice following a collision with Coyotes defenseman Sean Durzi on Dec. 9, Poitras played only eight more games — recording three points and averaging 11:18 of ice time — before getting shut down.
“I needed to put on a bit of size,” Poitras said. “I came into camp last year definitely undersized. There were some bigger guys that maybe I couldn’t hold my own against as much.
“So I think this year is just going in a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger, kind of choose my spots a bit more — because sometimes I’d take some big hits that aren’t necessary and kind of hurt me, and maybe that’s why I didn’t get a chance to finish the season.”
Even with surgery hindering some of his offseason work, Poitras has added 8-9 pounds.
While he doesn’t profile as a bruising presence, that added weight might be the difference between a patented reverse hit and a bone-crunching slam into the end boards.
“I feel a bit stronger . . . I want to be able to win those one-on-one battles because I’m a guy who likes to have the puck up in the zone,” Poitras said. “So that’s kind of where it stems from.”
Poitras has more goals for himself before training camp opens in September. Beyond adding even more muscle, improving at the faceoff dot (43.7 percent last season) is a priority. The 2022 second-round pick might still be the Bruins’ most promising forward prospect, but a featured role is far from a guarantee.
“I’ve been in the offseason for basically almost five months now,” Poitras said. “I’m excited to get through the summer — still going to take it day by day — but I’m excited to get to camp and get into playing games.”
Call me old, but I'd rather my hockey players need to learn when to 'step back' than learn when to 'step up'.
If he can settle in around 5'11" and ~200 lbs, without losing agility, then he'll be perfectly fine / big enough for the NHL.
