Matthew Poitras wasted no time making his case in his preseason debut, and Bruins fans noticed immediately.
The 22-year-old right-shot center looked like the most dangerous player in black and gold on Sunday afternoon, the kind of performance that should quiet any concern about whether he can stick on the Boston Bruins’ opening-night roster. After a summer of fans pushing for Poitras to get his job back, he gave them exactly the kind of start they were hoping to see.
The buzz on social media matched what showed up on the ice.
Am I the most biased person alive or is Matt Poitras just obviously NHL ready
- Bear With Me (@BearWithMe_Pod) September 20, 2026
When Matt Poitras got his last real look one of the major criticisms we heard was he couldn’t keep up with the physicality. The guy is throwing himself around and keeping himself upright and always where he needs to be. No luck finding the back of the net, but he’s done the work.
- Slow Dave Doesn't Know Puck (@SlowDaveSays) September 20, 2026
Really like how Poitras is playing out there tonight.
Kids buzzing around!
- Mark Allred (@BlackAndGold277) September 20, 2026
Poitras didn’t just look good in a vacuum. He outplayed Alex Steeves for much of the game, even with Steeves skating with two-thirds of the fourth line while Poitras was working alongside two AHL wingers. That kind of edge matters in a camp battle, especially with Marco Sturm and Don Sweeney weighing roster decisions at the end of training camp.
If the Bruins are serious about keeping Poitras around, the path is starting to become clearer. He looks like he belongs as at least the 13th forward, and there’s already a real argument that he should stay on the roster rather than risk losing him on waivers.
The roster picture, though, is still crowded. The top six appears headed toward some mix of the Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha lines from early camp.
The Kid Line of James Hagens, Fraser Minten, and Marat Khusnutdinov also looked strong enough on Sunday to make the third line look increasingly settled. And the fourth line of Mark Kastelic, Sean Kuraly, and Tanner Jeannot seems to have the inside track after what they gave the Bruins last season.
Still, Poitras has a route into the lineup.
One of the questions around his game has always been whether he can handle bottom-six duty. He was often knocked off his spots in those minutes before, and physicality was part of the criticism around his last real look. But on Sunday, he looked stronger and more comfortable taking that on, flying around the ice and holding up better in traffic.
That opens the door for more than just a press-box role. At some point, Poitras could make a real push to center the fourth line between Kastelic and Jeannot. Kuraly has been steady for Boston in both of his stints, but he didn’t always deliver much offense last season, even if he remained useful as a reliable fourth-liner and penalty killer.
It may not be Sturm’s style to bump a veteran like Kuraly out of the way, but the Bruins also aren’t going to leave Poitras parked in the press box all season.
And Poitras gave Sturm another reason to pay attention late in the game. With the goalie pulled, he replaced Steeves alongside the Kid Line and Charlie McAvoy, then won a crucial faceoff that helped set up McAvoy’s tying goal with less than two minutes remaining.
For one preseason game, that was a pretty loud statement.
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For a team trying to sort out the depth chart behind Jeremy Swayman, DiPietros performance stood out for all the right reasons. He turned aside 29 shots before the extra session, giving Boston a steady presence in net while the Bruins looked for answers in a game that had the feel of more than a routine exhibition. James Hagens provided the finishing touch in the shootout, and for a team with questions to answer in goal, that kind of start is exactly the sort of development worth watching a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Face A Risky Blue Line Decision After First Preseason Test
The Bruins first preseason look at the blue line did not exactly clear up the picture. Against the Capitals, most of Bostons defensemen struggled to make much of an impression, with Charlie McAvoy the notable exception, and that left the club with plenty to sort through as the roster picture comes into focus.
Six defensemen look locked in, but two spots are still up for grabs, and the competition now carries some real weight because of McAvoys suspension. Frederic Brunet has emerged as a name worth watching because of the upside he brings, while Jordan Harris, Henri Jokiharju and Jonathan Aspirot are also in the mix as the Bruins try to decide who fits best when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Prospects Just Made Bostons First Roster Cuts Much Harder
The Bruins preseason win over the Capitals came with more than just a shootout result to sort through. Boston got encouraging looks from several young players, with James Hagens, Marat Khusnutdinov, Matthew Poitras and Frederic Brunet all turning in performances that helped push the conversation well beyond the scoreline. For a team trying to shape its opening-night group, that kind of showings from prospects can make an already complicated camp feel even more crowded.
Matthew Poitras and Frederic Brunet, in particular, gave the Bruins something to think about as roster decisions start to tighten. With lineup spots at a premium and the club already having to account for Charlie McAvoys suspension, Boston may need to keep more depth around than it otherwise would, especially on defense. The result is a tougher first-round of cuts than the Bruins likely wanted, and one that could drag a few more young names deeper into the mix. [Read more 🡒]