The Bruins’ five-game winning streak has created a problem head coach Marco Sturm probably doesn’t mind having, but it’s a problem all the same. After the sweep of their West Coast road trip, Boston suddenly has 13 forwards pushing for 12 lineup spots, and that kind of squeeze is going to force some uncomfortable decisions in the next week or two.
At the center of it is Matthew Poitras, who has made a strong case for staying in the mix. Since returning from the injury that kept him out at the start of the season, he has picked up five points in six games. On the road trip alone, he recorded a point in every game - a goal against the San Jose Sharks, the insurance goal against the Anaheim Ducks, and an assist against the Los Angeles Kings after being moved to center the second line.
Poitras briefly filled Sean Kuraly’s spot, and Kuraly got back into the lineup only after Pavel Zacha was unavailable against the Kings. Back in his fourth-line center role, Kuraly logged two shots, won 83.3 percent of his faceoffs, added two hits and a blocked shot, and played 14:19. That only reinforced the idea that he belongs there - it just also shows how tight the numbers are.
That’s what makes this such a tricky puzzle for Sturm. Poitras has looked comfortable between Mark Kastelic and Tanner Jeannot, but whether he’s the best long-term answer at fourth-line center is still up for debate.
He’s shown he can handle more than that role, and there’s a real argument that his play has earned him a larger share of the offensive workload. The issue is figuring out where that leaves Kuraly.
Then there’s Casey Mittelstadt, who may be the name that gets squeezed out if Boston has to trim back. Mittelstadt has started the season well, and his game has taken another step since he began skating with Elias Lindholm and James Hagens. He looks more involved, brings more offense, and has even ramped up his physical play, though only to a modest degree.
The question is whether the Bruins are that much better with Poitras on the wing than with Mittelstadt there. The early signs say there’s something to work with between Poitras and Hagens after the goal against the Sharks, and Lindholm can help steady that young group with his experience.
Boston may also have to think past this season. Mittelstadt could be the player who ends up elsewhere, while Poitras is the one the Bruins try harder to keep around.
There have been rumors that Poitras is on the trade block, and this stretch of strong play should only raise his value. If moving him helps the team improve somewhere else, Don Sweeney will have to at least consider it.
For now, the Bruins have a little time, depending on how serious Zacha’s injury turns out to be. But once everyone is healthy, Sturm and the front office are going to have to make a difficult call.
In Other News...
Bruins Just Turned A Zadorov Scratch Into A Bigger Problem
Nikita Zadorovs night on the bench against the Kings was already notable because it came after a double-minor penalty in the previous game against Anaheim, and Bruins coach Marco Sturm made it clear the decision was about discipline as much as anything else. For a team trying to keep its footing, a healthy scratch for a veteran defenseman is never just a routine lineup call, especially when it follows a lapse that drew attention in the first place.
The situation got more awkward when a social media exchange involving Zadorovs agent and a fan started feeding speculation about where things might be headed next. No formal trade talks have been reported, but the chatter added another layer to a story that began with one bad penalty and has now turned into something bigger for Boston to manage. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Roster Crunch Is Turning One Forward Into Trade Bait
Matthew Poitras being cleared to play has only tightened the squeeze on Bostons forward group, and the Bruins responded by placing Mikey Eyssimont on waivers and sending him to Providence. It is the kind of roster move that says as much about logjams as it does about performance, because Eyssimont has been productive in the AHL and still found himself on the outside looking in when the Bruins had to make room.
The problem for Boston is that there is simply no easy path back into the lineup right now, even with Eyssimont doing enough in Providence to keep his name in the conversation. When a player is producing down below but has no obvious opening upstairs, that is often where trade chatter starts to build, and the Bruins appear to be there now with a depth piece who may be more valuable as an asset than as a spare forward on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Suddenly Have A Matt Poitras Problem They Might Welcome
Matt Poitras has gone from a low-profile one-year, two-way signing to a player the Bruins have found ways to fit into the lineup almost immediately. After getting past a lower-body injury, the young forward has suited up for six games and chipped in five points, enough to draw steady praise from coach Marco Sturm for handling his assignments and taking advantage of the openings created by injuries around him.
The bigger wrinkle for Boston is what happens when the lineup gets healthier. Sean Kuraly was scratched while Poitras kept earning looks higher up the board, and Kuraly has since been preparing to return, which only tightens the competition for ice time. For a team trying to sort out its depth on the fly, Poitras has given the Bruins a useful problem, even if it is one they may have to solve sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]