Bruins rookie Matt Poitras undergoes season-ending shoulder surgery

"Matt is just starting his Bruins career and is a key part of our future."

Matt Poitras’ promising rookie season has come to an end. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

February 7, 2024

2 minutes to read

Matt Poitras’ promising rookie season has come to an end.

The Bruins announced on Wednesday evening that the 19-year-old forward underwent a successful right shoulder open stabilization (Latarjet) procedure earlier that day at Massachusetts General Brigham Hospital.

His expected recovery time is five months, which would push him past the end of the 2023-24 season.

Poitras appeared in 33 games with the Bruins during his debut season in the NHL, scoring five goals and posting 15 total points.

“Matt has been an important part of our team’s success thus far, and he will be missed,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said in a team release. “Our medical staff made the recommendation for Matt to proceed with the surgery rather than continue playing with an unstable shoulder and risking further damage.

“Everyone involved supported the decision as to do what was best for him at this time. Matt is just starting his Bruins career and is a key part of our future.”

While the 2022 second-round pick showcased his playmaking poise throughout the year, he did take some serious punishment in his first foray against NHL competition.

During a road game against the Coyotes on Jan. 9, Poitras fell hard on the frozen sheet after colliding with Arizona defenseman Sean Durzi. Poitras, favoring his shoulder while making his way off the ice, did not return for the remainder of that game.

Matt Poitras goes down the tunnel after this collision.

Was grabbing his shoulder: pic.twitter.com/QvCPK2zT2n
— Evan Marinofsky (@EvanMarinofsky) January 10, 2024

After sitting out four more games due to that shoulder injury, Poitras did return to the lineup and played three straight games. But he suffered another setback just before the All-Star break and did not play in Boston’s road game against the Flyers on Jan. 27.

Even though Poitras practiced with the Bruins on both Sunday and Monday this week, he did not play in Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to the Flames — and was held out of practice earlier that morning due to a follow-up doctor’s appointment.

The results from that appointment clearly didn’t paint a good picture for Poitras and the Bruins, with the team opting for the young pivot to go under the knife.

Poitras exceeded plenty of expectations this season — going from training camp longshot to a featured NHL playmaker after an impressive preseason slate.

The young center showed plenty of promise out of the gate with Boston, scoring 13 points in his first 27 games while averaging 14:06 of ice time per contest. But be it injuries or the expected “rookie wall,” Poitras slowed down after returning from the 2023 World Junior Championships.

After returning from his stint with Team Canada, Poitras posted two assists in his final six games — but only averaged 10:13 of ice time per contest.

Wednesday’s news stands as an unfortunate setback for Poitras and the Bruins. But opting for surgery likely limits any long-term ramifications surrounding Poitras’ shoulder, with the gifted center likely tabbed for greater responsibilities in 2024-25 and beyond.