BOSTON — Matt Poitras doesn’t want to go to Providence.
A year ago, by rule, the Bruins couldn’t send him to the AHL. When he was in the midst of his breakout training camp that made him an early fan favorite, they could either keep him in the NHL or send him back to junior hockey.
Before shoulder surgery cut his season short in late January, Poitras earned a spot on the Bruins’ varsity and had five goals and 10 assists in 33 games.
This year, Poitras is eligible to be sent down, but he doesn’t want that to matter. He’s committed to playing well enough that the Bruins won’t want to consider it.
“I want to be here,” he said. “I want to be able to show that I belong here and they don’t really have a choice. They gotta keep me here.”
The Bruins have multiple jobs up for grabs up front. Poitras is in the mix, but not a lock, to land one of them. After playing almost exclusively center last year, Poitras will get camp reps at right wing as well. He skated there alongside Trent Frederic and Cole Koepke on Thursday.
Jim Montgomery said the long-term plan was to have Poitras play center, but a move now might maximize his strengths.
“He’s an offensively gifted player,” Montgomery said. “You get to spend a lot more time creating offense as a winger than you do as a center.”
Poitras cared more about staying in Boston than staying at center.
“I’ve played wing in the past. I’m comfortable there. It’s a little bit less skating than center so maybe reserve a little more energy for playing offense where I like to hold pucks down low,” he said. “I’m ready to play down low whether it’s center or winger, wherever I fit in best.”
Last year, Poitras had nothing to lose. Everyone expected him to show up, get his feet wet and then go back to Guelph, Ontario to continue his junior hockey career. But Poitras had a great camp and forced the Bruins to keep him. This year he’s trying not to go backward.
“There’s always pressure. Coming in this year, expectations are a bit different. Last year I was just expected to be going back to Guelph. This year coming in, I want to make the team, same as I did last year. But different expectations,” he said. “I like to hold myself to a high standard. It’s just coming in every single day and trying to be one of the best players on the ice and play the way that I know I can play.”
After being one of the slightest players last year, Poitras used the time following surgery to get stronger. He’s listed at 181 pounds now. He looked a little thicker and said he felt a little stronger.
“I definitely feel stronger and not to the point where I added weight and I slowed down,” he said. “I’m the same speed if not a bit faster. The extra weight might help in those corner battle situations.”
After last season’s surgery, getting through the first practice battles including a hit by Parker Wotherspoon was encouraging.
“Felt good to get hit a couple times and have the puck on my stick in a competitive environment,” he said.
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