The Boston Bruins may not boast a particularly deep prospect pool, yet one player has quietly exceeded expectations, earning the admiration of head coach Marco Sturm: 21-year-old Matthew Poitras.
Across 40 games with the Providence Bruins, Boston’s AHL affiliate, Poitras recorded an impressive 41 points, including 17 goals and 14 assists. In eight playoff appearances, he added four more points to his tally. Simultaneously, he took to the ice in 33 NHL contests with Boston. While certain aspects of his game revealed areas for improvement, Poitras consistently displayed glimpses of his potential, most notably through three multi-assist performances that underscored his capacity to develop and contribute at the sport’s highest level.