The Bruins are leaning into a younger look as the 2026-27 season gets underway, and tonight’s game against the Senators gives Frederic Brunet and Matthew Poitras a real chance to make noise.
Boston’s offseason push to get younger has already included a trade for JJ Peterka, and now the focus shifts to two players who could fit into that plan. Brunet and Poitras are getting opportunities to show what they can bring, with the Bruins clearly willing to test them in meaningful spots.
Coach Marco Sturm made it clear that Boston is not rushing Brunet into anything the club doesn’t think he can handle.
"We’ll see how it ends up,” Coach Marco Sturm said about Brunet via The Boston Globe. "I think the start [and the score] will tell a little bit.
This is a kid we want to develop the right way, so I’m not going to throw him in if he’s not ready for [special-team] situations. We think very highly of him, and we want him to get better every day."
Sturm also spelled out what he wants from Poitras, and the blueprint is pretty straightforward: use his strength, skate, think fast, and keep things simple.
"I just want to see his strength and just being smart and skate and use those two big boys right beside him,” Sturm said of Poitras via Boston.com. "I think it’s a good combination.
I think it’s going to be good for him. He’ll get some touches and play a simple game and focus on those little things."
Brunet, a 2022 NHL Draft pick, had 20 assists for Providence before appearing in one game for Boston during the 2024-25 season. He followed that with a strong year in Providence last season, posting 12 goals, 24 assists and 36 points. Now he’s in his second official NHL game.
Poitras was also drafted in 2022 and has already seen more NHL action than Brunet. He has played in seven games for the Bruins and has put up five goals, 20 assists and 27 points, while spending nearly all of last year with Providence.
For Boston, the message is clear: the door is open for the young guys. What they do with it starts now.
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