After a rough stretch, the Boston Bruins are now keeping pace in the wild-card race. Superstar forward David Pastrnak is playing his best hockey of the season, and the Bruins are reaping the rewards. Matthew Poitras has also been a boost to the lineup, giving the team exactly what they need offensively.
Poitras Making an Immediate Impact
In fact, the Bruins should have called Poitras up sooner. He looks confident with each game and more comfortable with each shift. Bruins fans everywhere were screaming for General Manager Don Sweeney to bring him up. He finally ripped off that bandaid, recalling him from the American Hockey League’s Providence Bruins on Jan. 14.
Poitras has seven points – all assists – since arriving in Boston. Six of his seven assists have been primary, and he ranks fifth on the Bruins in points. His play-making ability has also been off the charts. It’s the first time since David Krejci retired that the Bruins have had a legit playmaking presence down the middle. Poitras has great vision and is aware of who is around him. He is fast and brings the necessary skills to the forward group. After bouncing between the second and third lines, his recent play should see him moved up to the first line.
Give Poitras the Keys to the Top Line
First, the top line doesn’t need fixing. Morgan Geekie, David Pastrnak, and Pavel Zacha have been the Bruins’ best line, leading all line combinations with 21 goals. They were the teams’ best line in January, and they were a huge reason for their success. However, the Bruins got a glimpse of life with Poitras on that top line, and he was stellar. Playing him with Brad Marchand and Charlie Coyle was instrumental in the Bruins’ victory against the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 20. He’s proven he can play with the best on the roster.
In just ten minutes of ice time with Geekie and Pastrnak, their line has scored four goals. Against the New York Rangers on Feb. 2, Poitras and Pastrnak put on a clinic, connecting for two goals. They had great chemistry and their ability to make plays together was on full display.
Playing Poitras on the top line makes sense for his development and to give him a further look. It’s in the team’s best interest to see what they have in their youth this season, and if playing him on the top line isn’t it, there’s a familiar face he could stick with.
Poitras Has Chemistry Alongside Trent Frederic
To give the Bruins a more competitive advantage, Poitras has slotted in next to Trent Frederic on the third line. With those two on the ice together, good things happen. They have a Corsi for percentage of 54.66, and they’ve managed to outshoot and outscore the opposition (4-2). Their possession time has translated into offensive production.
A lot of it also has to do with chemistry. Poitras and Frederic have connected twice since Poitras returned. He has been able to find Frederic with a cross-ice pass, who made no mistake burying the puck. They look comfortable playing together. This is good, but ideally, Poitras would be on the top line.
Poitras Deserves to Move Up
There are many different places for Poitras to play. He’s proven he can elevate his teammates on any line and make an impact. He adds depth to the third line, but seeing the chemistry develop with Pastrnak might help the Bruins determine whether they have their new number-one center. He is a tremendous talent, and it’s time to showcase it.
