How Matthew Poitras Wants To Improve In Second Bruins Season

BOSTON — Matthew Poitras is feeling almost fully recovered from his right shoulder injury, and he is ready for his second NHL season with the Boston Bruins.

Poitras only played 33 games in his rookie season before suffering the shoulder injury. There were some positive takeaways from the 20-year-old’s short time with the Bruins, though.

"For me, it was I need to put on a bit of size, I came into camp last year definitely undersized," Poitras told reporters after Day 1 of development camp. "Definitely, there's some bigger guys that I maybe couldn't hold my own against as much, so I think this year it's going in, just be a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger."

Poitras is listed at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds but he gained eight to nine pounds during his recovery. Before the 2024-25 season starts, he is hoping to gain a few more pounds. The youngster felt that in his first season, he took hits that shouldn't have hurt him.

Along with becoming stronger, the forward wants to become better at the faceoff dot. Poitras wants to cement himself as a center who the Bruins can rely on in the future.

"I wasn't too great on the dot last year so if I want to be a center I think I can use the next couple of months to work on that and work on winning faceoffs," Poitras said.

Poitras will continue to recover and will be at all four days of development camp.