Poitras Still 'Big Piece' For Bruins Despite Surgery

Season-ending shoulder surgery a blow for 19-year-old prospect, but timing will allow him a full summer to get ready for his sophomore NHL season

BOSTON – Some will probably look at 19-year-old Matt Poitras being shelved for the rest of the season with shoulder surgery as his NHL rookie season ultimately not living up to what might have been hoped at the beginning of the season.

After all, a year of Poitras’ entry level contract has been burned and ultimately the B’s only got five goals and 15 points in 33 games at the NHL level. But looking at it from that perspective would ultimately be missing so many positive developments about his first pro season after many expected he’d spend this season dominating with the Guelph Storm at the junior hockey level.