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Bruins’ Matt Poitras ready to use World Juniors experience as motivation
"It was a terrible feeling after that game. So I can definitely use that as motivation.”
Matt Poitras’ experience at the 2023 World Junior Championship in Sweden didn’t go according to plan.
The 19-year-old pivot and Team Canada were bounced in crushing fashion in the quarterfinal round of the tournament, with a late goal scored by Czechia with just 11 seconds left in regulation leading to a 3-2 defeat.
Poitras, who skated in a top-six role for Canada throughout the tournament, re-joined the Bruins this week after flying back across the Atlantic.
And while it remains to be seen when Poitras will return to the lineup for Boston, the young player’s experience overseas will serve as motivation for the Bruins’ second-half stretch of the 2023-24 season.
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“That loss definitely stings,” Poitras told reporters Thursday afternoon at Warrior Ice Arena. “I think that’s something I could look back on where it’s like, you don’t want to feel like that again. And yeah, it was a terrible feeling after that game. So I can definitely use that as motivation.”
Poitras was loaned to Team Canada last month in order to give the rookie forward an opportunity to represent his country on an international stage.
For Boston, the hope was that a break from NHL competition would allow Poitras to both gain a mental reset from the grind of the Bruins’ season — while sparking more confidence in his game as he battled against opponents within his age group.
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Even though Poitras didn’t stuff the stat sheet (four points in five games) to the degree that some projected during World Juniors, the centerman was thankful to get the opportunity to play for Team Canada.
“I mean, it was a dream come true to wear the Canadian jersey and meet all those guys,” Poitras said. “I had a great time over there and I’m happy to be back here though.”
As expected, Poitras said that he has received some teasing back at Warrior Ice Arena, especially from Boston’s Czech contingent of players.
When will Poitras rejoin the Bruins lineup?
Poitras has been a pleasant surprise this season for Boston, but was in the midst of an expected dry spell just before getting loaned to Team Canada. He scored just one goal over his last 16 games with Boston, averaging 13:19 of ice time per contest.
But, a motivated Poitras can inject some poised playmaking into a Bruins roster that has already lit the lamp 18 times in its last four games.
Poitras will not play during Thursday’s home contest against the Penguins, with Jim Montgomery not offering up a definitive timeline as to when Poitras will get the green light for game action.
“I’m just gonna take it day by day and try to get back to this time zone,” Poitras said. “I mean, it’s going to take a couple days to get my sleep schedule back on track and feel good getting on the ice. So yeah, I don’t know. I’ll just take it day by day and see how I feel.”
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