The Boston Bruins are heading into a compressed camp with two young players suddenly sitting in a tricky spot.
With training camp shortened and the preseason trimmed from six games to four as the regular season grows to 84 games, the next two weeks matter more than usual for players trying to win jobs. That pressure lands squarely on Matthew Poitras and Frederic Brunet, both of whom would need to clear waivers to be sent to the Providence Bruins in the AHL.
According to PuckPedia, both players are facing waivers for the first time. That alone raises the stakes, because once they’re exposed, there’s no guarantee they make it through untouched.
Poitras only just got his contract situation settled. The restricted free agent signed a one-year, two-way deal worth $850,000 on Wednesday afternoon, right before the first day of camp reporting.
Now the focus shifts to the roster battle, where he’ll be competing with fellow prospect James Hagens and other veteran forwards for a spot on the Opening Night roster Sept. 29 against the New York Rangers. If the Bruins decide to place him on waivers, losing him becomes a real possibility.
Brunet is in an equally crowded fight, though his path looks a little different. He’s one of 10 defensemen competing for seven spots, and that number only tells part of the story. At the start of the season, Charlie McAvoy’s six-game suspension changes the picture in front of the Bruins’ goalies, potentially opening a lane for Brunet to work his way onto the roster early.
For Boston, the challenge is straightforward: keep these players close as long as possible without exposing them to waivers. Poitras has already shown enough at the NHL level to suggest he belongs in the conversation, and it would not be a surprise if the Bruins try to hold onto both players for as long as they can. The decisions are coming fast, and they could be significant.
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