The five-day session concluded with a full-squad scrimmage Friday at Warrior Ice Arena.
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Poitras’s upside is apparent. Mason Lohrei and Fabian Lysell have been Boston’s premier prospects in a thin pipeline over the past few seasons.
But Matthew Poitras, a 2022 second-round pick, might be pushing his way into the conversation as the organization’s most intriguing young asset.
The 19-year-old forward doesn’t have the wheels or stick skills of Lysell, or the size of Lohrei (6 feet 4 inches), a playmaking defenseman. But the
6-foot, 182-pound pivot has the potential to be an impact pro thanks to his craftiness with the puck and hockey IQ.
Even though skating dropped Poitras out of the first round, Bruins assistant general manager Jamie Langenbrunner noted that the youngster’s “elite brain” allows him to generate Grade-A looks by way of changing pace, positioning down low, and poised passing.
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Few surprises with Boston’s blue-chippers. Poitras has taken a major step forward during his short time in the organization. But the Bruins’ other two prized prospects, Lohrei and Lysell, were as advertised throughout the week.
Lohrei’s size and playmaking acumen on the blue line offer tremendous upside. His floor at the NHL level might be a third-pairing, power-play specialist.
After a slow build-up this week while recovering from a concussion, Lysell did plenty of damage during Friday’s three-on-three session thanks to his high-end skill.
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Heft on the back end. A smaller, puck-moving stalwart has been a staple of the Bruins’ defensive units for more than a decade. But a quick glance at the development camp roster signals how the team is targeting more beef on the blue line.
The Bruins brought in 10 defensemen this week, nine of whom are in the organization. The average height of those 10? 6-3. Average weight? 204 pounds.
Hulking defensemen such as Kristian Kostadinski (2023 seventh-round pick) and Jackson Edward (2022 seventh-round pick) are still raw, but their prickliness was evident on most contact drills.
The smallest option on defense this week, Boston University’s Gallagher (2021 seventh-round pick) still made his presence felt during Friday’s scrimmage with sound stick work and physical push-back around the boards.
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Duran seems destined for checking-line role. A physical forward such as Riley Duran seems like a lock as a fourth-line regular in due time.
The Woburn native and 2020 sixth-round pick has been productive during his two seasons at Providence College (39 points in 67 games). But Duran’s high motor and physicality are what stuck out during five-on-five action, especially on Friday.
If he carves a path to the NHL, Duran should ingratiate himself to the TD Garden crowd in short order,
given his pugnacious and committed style.
