Now that the Boston Bruins 10-day All-Star Break is over, there is a lot going on surrounding Jim Montgomery’s team. In the latest edition of Bruins News & Rumors, a rookie 2023-24 season comes to an end in a surprising development, an NHL insider says Boston may be careful with their draft picks at this season’s trade deadline on March 8, a Bruins center trade target could be a top free agent target for the Black & Gold and more.
Matthew Poitras Has Season-Ending Surgery
One of the bigger surprises this season out of training camp was rook center Matthew Poitras who had a strong training camp and preseason and earned an NHL spot. He played so well that the Bruins could not send him back to the Guelph Storm in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and he remained in Boston as he was not AHL-eligible. Over time, the physicality of the NHL took its toll on the 54th pick in the 2022 Entry Draft in Montreal and his season came to an end Wednesday.
Related: Bruins’ Poitras’ Rookie Season Ends Abruptly
After the morning skate on Thursday (Feb. 8), Montgomery spoke about the conversations that were had between Poitras, the team, and his parents. “Donny and I had talked with Matty, and Donny and Matt talked with his family and the people who advise him and everyone was on the same page that this is what would be best moving forward,” Montgomery said.
Boston announced that Poitras underwent a right shoulder open stabilization (Latarjey) procedure and the recovery time is approximately five months. This is a big loss for the Bruins, especially for a team that already is thin on center depth. This announcement a month before the trade deadline could force the hand of General Manager (GM) Don Sweeney to make a move for a pivot.
Bruins Call Up Anthony Richard
With Poitras down, the Bruins only have 12 forwards in Boston and they called up center Anthony Richard from the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL). In 41 games this season, the 27-year-old Richard has 19 goals and 19 assists. This is a curious call-up and it makes you wonder where Fabian Lysell stands in the organization. Sooner or later you would think that he gets his shot in the NHL.
Are the Bruins & Elias Lindholm a Match This Summer?
In his latest 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman wrote that the Bruins, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, are going to be careful at the trade deadline about training away future draft picks. They don’t have a first this season after the trade with the Detroit Red Wings at last season’s deadline that acquired Tyler Bertuzzi.
Friedman also reported that he thinks the Bruins made a run at Elias Lindholm before the Calgary Flames sent him to the Vancouver Canucks. Lindholm has yet to sign an extension and if he hits the free-agent market this summer, Friedman expects the Bruins to make a run at him. The Black and Gold will get an up-close look at Lindholm when they host Vancouver on Thursday night (Feb. 8) at the TD Garden.
Pastrnak Not Thrilled With NHL International Tournament
During the All-Star Break, the NHL announced that next season the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off, a new international tournament set to take place from Feb. 12 to 20, 2025. Four countries, Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States will compete in the scheduled nine-day event, but David Pastrnak didn’t sound happy his home country of Czechia will not be part of the tournament.
“It’s a huge disappointment,” Pastrnak said. “I don’t know much I can say. Definitely not happy about it. I understand that it’s a quick turnaround. It’s next year. They probably didn’t have much time to make it a bigger tournament. But Czech isn’t there. So it’s always a lot of players left out, so I’m not gonna watch the tournament, to be honest. So just happy that the Olympics got accepted. Yeah definitely stings a little bit.”
Related: Ranking Bruins’ Needs at the 2024 Trade Deadline
Pastrnak will no doubt be playing in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, but his frustration about the NHL International Tournament is real and no one can blame him.
Georgii Merkulov Nets Two Goals in AHL All-Star Game
Undrafted free agent Georgii Merkulov was the lone Providence player selected to the 2024 AHL All-Star Game on Feb. 5 in San Jose. The former Ohio State standout who signed with the Bruins after just one college season, had two goals and an assist in the round-robin-style tournament for the Atlantic Division.
In 41 games this season for Providence, he has 17 goals and 25 assists and is on pace to pass last season’s numbers of 24 goals and 31 assists. The P-Bruins begin the post-All-Star Break at home against the Hershey Bears on Friday night (Feb. 9).
What’s Next for the Bruins?
The Bruins will be looking to bonce-back from a dreadful performance against the Flames on Feb. 6 when they host the Canucks in the second game of their seven-game homestand. After Vancouver, the Washington Capitals come in on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 10) for a 3:30 puck drop.
