There was a time last month when it seemed like Matthew Poitras was never going to get another opportunity with the Boston Bruins. He was one of the names involved in the Rasmus Andersson trade discussions, and before that, failing to make the NHL roster to start the year seemed like a massive step backward for the center.

The offense wasn’t as explosive as he would’ve liked with the Providence Bruins earlier this season, but a different aspect of his game began to evolve, making it seem like the message was finally getting through to Poitras. The slight-framed forward was getting pushed around too often at the NHL level, but this season in the AHL, he started to push back.

Poitras’ skating got a little bit stronger in the AHL, and it was evident in his return to the NHL lineup over the past two weeks when the Bruins were struck with injuries. He was still getting pushed around a little, but the new skating style was making him less susceptible to explosive hits. He also pushed back a lot more than Bruins fans had ever seen, even ending his first game back with a scrum against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Matthew Poitras’ path back to Bruins

Poitras played well in his return to the NHL, but the numbers game is still going to be against him once the season resumes after the Olympic break. Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha should be ready to return after that, but Poitras knows that the way he played in his call-up is going to put him on the path back to Boston.

““I’m not trying to be a big agitator, that’s not really me, but sometimes emotions get the best out of you, and maybe I was being a little bit of a pest in Providence. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to get under people’s skin. I think I’ve always been a guy who draws penalties. It does lead to some drawn penalties, but it also leads to me getting punched in the face, which isn’t very fun, so it’s about finding a balance.””

Matthew Poitras

The Bruins returned Poitras to Providence when they went on their Olympic break. It was an obvious move with the team off for three weeks, but Poitras didn’t go back and think he was too good to be in Providence. In fact, he picked up right where he left off in the weekend series against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

here’s a video i took of matty poitras tonight pic.twitter.com/XMM4W2UbfK

— madison (@mads19beecher) February 8, 2026

Poitras didn’t fare well in the fight, but the bright side is that he showed up for it. He looks motivated to get back to Boston soon, and if he isn’t in the Bruins’ future, his play could significantly increase his trade value before the deadline. Either way, the front office has to be happy with how Poitras bounced back from the disappointment of being left off the opening night roster.