Matt Poitras

Matthew Poitras (; born March 10, 2004) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for
the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career

Amateur

Poitras was drafted by the Guelph Storm 12th overall in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection. However, his first season with the team was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In the 2022–23 season, Poitras ended the regular season tied for 5th most total points in the league, with 95. He was named OHL Player of the Week on November 21, 2022.

Poitras was drafted 54th overall in the second round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins.

Professional

Boston Bruins

On April 14, 2023, the Providence Bruins announced that they had signed Poitras to an amateur tryout contract for the remainder of the 2022–23 season. However, Poitras did not appear in any games with the club for the remainder of the season, regular season or playoffs. On May 5, 2023, the Boston Bruins announced that they had signed Poitras to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Poitras impressed in his first preseason with the Bruins, and as a result, earned a spot on the NHL roster as a 19-year old. Poitras earned his first NHL point in his first NHL game, an assist on a goal by Trent Frederic. Poitras scored his first and second NHL goals on October 22, 2023, in a 3–1 win against the Anaheim Ducks. On October 31, the Bruins announced that Poitras was staying on the NHL roster rather than sending him back to the OHL, therefore burning a year of his entry-level contract. On December 18, 2023, the Bruins announced that they had loaned Poitras to Team Canada for the 2024 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Poitras registered two goals and two assists in five games in the tournament, as Canada finished 5th in the standings. Poitras returned to the NHL club on January 6, 2024. On January 9, 2024, just three games after returning to the NHL lineup, Poitras exited a game late against the Arizona Coyotes with a shoulder injury. Poitras would return to game action on January 20, but would only play three more games before the Bruins announced on February 7 that Poitras had undergone shoulder surgery and would miss the rest of the season. Poitras ended his rookie season with five goals and 15 total points in 33 games.

Coming off of injury, Poitras once again made the NHL opening night roster to start the 2024–25 season, however, a lingering injury caused him to be scratched for the Bruins opening night game. After playing in 14 of the Bruins first 16 games, Poitras was demoted to the Providence Bruins on November 11, 2024, marking the first time in his professional career that he would be playing in the American Hockey League (AHL). Poitras enjoyed a successful first stint with Providence, scoring eight goals and 12 assists in 23 games between November 15, 2024, and January 11, 2025. This included a streak in early December where he scored a goal in seven straight games. This success, as well as injures to the NHL Bruins lineup, rewarded Poitras with a call-up to the NHL squad on January 14, 2025. Poitras would return to the NHL with immediate impact, scoring an assist in his first game back. However, Poitras would struggle to produce afterwards, and was sent back to Providence on March 10, 2025, without having scored a goal in his stint with the NHL club. Poitras remained with Providence for the rest of the season, with the Bruins organization opting to have Poitras help the P-Bruins in a playoff push rather than call him up to a struggling Bruins squad. Poitras continued his offensive output in the AHL, and finished the season tied for second on the team in goals, with 17. In a decisive Game 3 against the Springfield Thunderbirds in the opening round of the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs, Poitras would score two goals to help the Bruins clinch the series. Unfortunately, the Bruins would lose the next series in five games to the Charlotte Checkers, ending their season.

Personal

Poitras is the second of three children born to Phil and Tricia Poitras. His older brother, Adam, is a lacrosse player for the Maryland Whipsnakes of the Premier Lacrosse League, and was selected second overall by the Las Vegas Desert Dogs in the 2023 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft, while his younger sister, Abby, is committed to play hockey at Merrimack College.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Poitras, Matthew
2004 births
Living people
Boston Bruins draft picks
Boston Bruins players
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Canadian ice hockey centres
Guelph Storm players
Providence Bruins players
Sportspeople from Ajax, Ontario
21st-century Canadian sportsmen