Bruins’ Matthew Poitras Breaks Down Injury, Plan To Gain Strength

BOSTON -- Matthew Poitras' rookie campaign with the Boston Bruins ended when he had right shoulder surgery on Feb. 7, but the 19-year-old forward remains positive despite the setback.

It's been three weeks since the procedure so Poitras said he was beginning to work out and getting in physiotherapy at Warrior Ice Arena with the team.

"For me, I'm going to try and use this time to put on a bit of size and where I've been lacking in some strength," Poitras told reporters, per team-provided video. "It's going to be a good opportunity for me to make up for that."

Poitras admitted it wasn't one single play that caused the injury and that it had been an ongoing issue since last season when he was playing for the OHL's Gulph Storm.

"It didn't really bother me throughout the summer and the start of the season," Poitras said. "Then, just kind of flukey plays where it would just move on me. (It) started bothering me right around Christmas."

To keep the shoulder from moving too much while he was playing, Poitras said he was wearing a brace to help stabilize it.

"I wasn't too limited (when I was playing). ... It didn't let me play exactly the way I wanted to play, but again, when you have a hurt shoulder, it's always in the back of your mind. I wasn't playing the way I want to be playing."

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Being sidelined for the remainder of the season does allow Poitras to watch the veterans on the team and continue to learn not only the Bruins system but being a part of the NHL.

"All the guys around here have been really supportive of me. We got an older group here that I can just watch and learn from even now that I'm not playing," he said. "Just to watch how they handle things going down the stretch. It will be a good opportunity for me to be around to learn."

Even though Poitras wasn't expected to make the team out of training camp, he ultimately forced Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery's hand. Showing confidence along the way, Poitras admitted he didn't expect to make the team.

"I got a good chunk of the season in and I'm going to be here the rest of the season just learning," he said. "I wasn't really expecting to make the team this year. ... It was kind of a bonus to just play up here and learn and experience the life in the NHL."

The Bruins get back to work Thursday when they host the Vegas Golden Knights at TD Garden. Puck drop for the Bruins- Knights matchup is scheduled at 7 p.m. ET, and you can catch full coverage on NESN starting at 6 p.m.