Much to the surprise of many observers, young Matthew Poitras finally won his bet and will remain in professional hockey for the time being, Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery confirmed Tuesday.
The 19-year-old forward was a second-round pick in the 2022 draft, 54th overall, leaving the Massachusetts organization no choice. The team is off to a brilliant start with 17 out of 18 possible points and Poitras is one of the reasons for this success. He scored three goals and two assists and posted a +4 rating.
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Having played nine games so far, the Ontario native will ensure one year of his entry-level professional contract expires in 2023-2024 when he plays his next game; The Bruins face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. However, this doesn’t seem to bother Montgomery at all; he is completely satisfied with his protégé’s performance.
“He deserves it, we feel very comfortable with him,” he told the media. There are still no guarantees for the rest of the year. However, due to his progress, he will remain a Bruin for now. He helps us win games.”
Having played the past two seasons for the Guelph Storm in the Ontario Junior League, Poitras could still later be loaned out to the Canadian team that will compete in the World Junior Championship in 2024 if Boston deems it relevant.