Bruins Rookies Made Clear Impression On Veteran Charlie McAvoy

BOSTON — The opportunities were there for the taking during training camp and preseason. And the Bruins seemingly had at least two rookies who took full advantage.

The Bruins have until Monday evening to finalize their roster with Boston’s regular-season opener scheduled for Wednesday night.

Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery confirmed rookie centerman Matthew Poitras earned the opportunity to stick with the club. Potential fourth-line centerman John Beecher and defenseman Mason Lohrei also were in the final stages of earning a spot just a few hours before Boston’s roster cutdown. At the very least, they made decisions incredibly difficult for general manager Don Sweeney.

All three clearly made an impression on Bruins star defenseman Charlie McAvoy, among other veterans.

“They all deserve to be here,” McAvoy told NESN.com after the Bruins practice at TD Garden on Monday morning. “They’re all going to breathe some life into this team. And I can’t wait to see them coming out for opening night.”

Poitras, specifically, finished with three goals and two assists in five preseason games. Montgomery said the 19-year-old who was a second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft has shown a calmness and poise well beyond his years. He figures to serve as Boston’s second- or third-line center.

McAvoy is looking forward to seeing Boston’s rookies take the ice in their first NHL game Wednesday. Maybe, McAvoy said, even more excited than the rookies themselves.

“It’s a chilling experience to see your dreams come true. And I’ll tell you that everybody gets a buzz from it, at least personally I do,” McAvoy told NESN.com. “You’re just rooting for them so hard. I feel like you get more excited when they score their first goal, get their first point. You might be more excited than they are and that’s just how much we care about each other. It will be really cool.”

Poitras and the other rookies have brought a heightened level of competition after Boston’s offseason featured the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. McAvoy confirmed it was a “passing of the torch” with Brad Marchand now serving as Boston’s captain and both David Pastrnak and McAvoy serving as his alternates.

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McAvoy has been among the Bruins to take on more of a leadership role entering the 2023-24 campaign. That responsibility has created an opportunity for McAvoy, much like the rookies.

“Just play your game, you’re here for a reason,” McAvoy said in reference to his message to Boston’s younger players. “You’re here for a reason, you’ve had an outstanding camp. And guess what? No one is perfect. I’m not perfect. None of us are. And no one ever will be. You’re gonna make mistakes. We’re right behind it to help you. We’re gonna bail you out. I’m just making sure they don’t lose confidence.”

Bruins rookies like Beecher and Lohrei, specifically, credited McAvoy for his leadership and helping hand. Safe to say he’s made just as much of an impact on the Bruins rookies as they have on him.