Matthew Poitras had a message for the coaching staff and front office Thursday.
Last season, the Boston Bruins were still undecided about just how their center spots were going to look as training camp got underway. Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle slotted into the first two spots while John Beecher solidified the fourth line, but who was going to be their third-line center?
Prospect Matthew Poitras shined in camp and preseason games. He played so well, that it was hard for the Bruins to send him back to the Guelph Storm in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He was not eligible to go to the AHL so after nine games, it was either stay in the NHL or go to the OHL. In the end, he ended up earning his spot in the lineup and was a pleasant surprise.
Poitras' season came to an end early in February when he underwent season-ending shoulder surgery. It ended his season early and he missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This offseason, GM Don Sweeney signed Elias Lindholm in free agency to center the top line and Coyle will likely slot on the second line, Poitras isn't guaranteed a spot on the roster, but he plans on making a name for himself over the next couple of weeks.
Matthew Poitras has one thing he wants to show in camp this season
Poitras added some beef over the offseason, something that was needed as his body took a pounding on a nightly basis in 2023-24. As camp got underway on the ice Thursday at Warrior Ice Arena, the 54th overall pick in the 2022 Entry Draft wants to make it hard on the coaching staff to not have him on the Opening Night roster in Florida on Oct. 8.
"I want to be here, and I want to be able to show that I belong here, and that they don't really have a choice, you got to keep me here,'' Poitras said.
If there is one thing that he proved last season, it's that he belongs. There is no question about it. He added muscle and weight over the offseason and knows what it is going to take to have a long career wearing the Black and Gold. In the end, his one job the next couple of weeks is to make it tough on Jim Montgomery to send him to the Providence Bruins. It would be surprising if that's where he ends up.
