Jim Montgomery had some choice words when talking about Bruins forward Matthew Poitras

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Austin Sabourin
November 3, 2024 (6:22 PM)

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Jim Montgomery was honest when recently speaking of Boston Bruins young forward Matthew Poitras.

Last season, Matthew Poitras made quite an impression, earning a spot on the Bruins' roster after an outstanding training camp and preseason.

Unfortunately, his rookie season was cut short by a shoulder injury, requiring surgery on Feb. 7 and sidelining him for the rest of the season, including playoffs.

This year, Poitras once again secured a spot on the Bruins' roster, with one goal and three assists in his first 10 games, playing an average of 13 minutes per game. Head coach Jim Montgomery highlighted Poitras' knack for creating plays, especially his improvement in winning one-on-one battles.

«He's a creative player,» Montgomery said before Sunday's game against the Kraken. «He wins a lot of pucks in battles, and he's made big strides there.»

Now in his second season, Poitras has faced some physical play from opponents. Montgomery believes this reflects Poitras' own intensity on the ice, more than just opposing teams trying to challenge Boston's skilled players.

«It's his competitive nature,» Montgomery explained. «He sometimes puts himself in tough spots, but that's something he'll learn from. We love his fight; he's a true Bruin.»

As Poitras continues developing his game, Montgomery pointed out a key area for improvement.

«It's not just about the minutes. He's got to earn them,» Montgomery noted. «We've tried him in higher roles and on the power play, but he needs to keep it simple for now. We want him to focus on five-on-five play and really excel there.»

Do you think Matthew Poitras deserves a chance to play top line minutes?