The Boston Bruins are still 13 days away from returning to NHL game action after the Olympics end. While the big club is enjoying some time off before a stretch run over the next couple of months for what they hope will be a trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League are getting ready to return from their All-Star Break.

Before the break, the P-Bruins were on a 10-game winning streak. They did that without center Matthew Poitras, who was in Boston helping out the big club after Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha were out with injuries. He was returned to Providence after the Black and Gold’s 5-4 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers last week. The Baby Bruins will return to action on Saturday in the front end of a home-and-home with the Bridgeport Islanders on the road. When they do return to action, here are three players to keep an eye on.

Matthew Poitras

As mentioned above, Poitras was in Boston before the Olympic break. He played well for Marco Sturm and even scored a goal on a nice backhander against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 1 in the Stadium Series game at Raymond James Stadium. In three games before the break, Poitras averaged 12:07 a shift and registered eight shots on the net.

It remains to be seen what happens with the Bruins’ return to games with the lineup. Zacha was ruled out of the Olympics for Czechia, and Lindholm played in Sweden’s first game on Wednesday. If Zacha is out, then it wouldn’t be surprising to see Poitras get another call. There was a reason as to why he was sent back to Providence to play in games to stay sharp if he’s needed again in a couple of weeks.

Fabian Lysell

Here we are again with Fabian Lysell. Just where does he fit with the organization going forward? He played well last season when he came up last year toward the end of the season, but after a handful of offseason signings, he again finds himself buried in the AHL. He has played well for the P-Bruins this season and could be a wing option if Boston needs one. Despite being blocked, he is still a fun player to watch with his skill set.

Fredric Brunet

This isn’t breaking any news, but the Bruins’ depth in defense in the minors is very thin. That might be putting it nicely. If Boston had to dip down there, the options are few and far between. Like Lysell up front, defenseman Frederic Brunet is someone who is blocked by veterans. However, he is a physical blueliner who made his NHL debut last year and is having a very good season in 2025-26. He was recently named an AHL All-Star and played in the festivities this week.