Matthew Poitras avoided a sour start to his 2026-27 season by signing a contract with the Boston Bruins on the day training camps opened. Poitras will be able to skate with the team on Thursday and vie for a spot on the roster, but it was the terms of the deal that raised eyebrows. The parties agreed on a one-year, two-way deal worth $850,000.
Poitras hasn't earned one of the massive contracts that teams have been handing out, but there have also been some players with just as much NHL experience who have been getting long-term extensions. Ville Koivunen from the Pittsburgh Penguins is one such contract that comes to mind.
The Bruins didn't make any long-term commitments to Poitras, despite the promise he showed in his rookie season when he played the majority of the year in the NHL. His breakout AHL season in 2025-26 also didn't move the needle for Boston's front-office, despite Don Sweeney's insistence at his press conference today that there is a spot there for the young center if he wants it.
Sweeney and the front office saw no reason to invest in Poitras past this season, and if he doesn't make the roster, he might not have much of a future in Boston anyway since he has to pass through waivers. It's unfortunately easy to see what the front office may be thinking when it comes to Poitras' future.
Bruins just sent a telling message about Matthew Poitras’ future
Best case, Poitras comes to camp looking like a new player and steals a spot from one of the regulars. That is the ending many fans would like to see, but if he doesn't and ends up back in Providence, his future in Boston looks dim, which explains the one-year deal.
James Hagens played center in Rookie Camp, which tells us that him being a full-time winger isn't in the organization's plans. They've just locked up Fraser Minten to a seven-year deal, and Dean Letourneau is likely to sign at the end of his college season and will take a spot in the NHL if he remains on his recent trajectory.
Another obstacle standing in the way of Poitras is the play of Dans Locmelis. We knew that he was making an impact at every level, but his performance at Rookie Camp showed that he might be ready sooner rather than later. With Sweeney also speaking about his desire to keep Pavel Zacha and the years remaining on Elias Lindholm's deal, barring any more issues with his back, the opportunities for Poitras are getting slim.
On the bright side, Poitras is remaining with the organization for another year. However, we are likely heading for a similar conversation next offseason unless he really plays his way into the team's future plans.
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